The Importance of Poisoning vs. Road Traffic Injuries as a Cause of Death in Rural Sri Lanka
Author Information
Author(s): Eddleston Michael, Udayakumara Nilantha, Adhikari Sriyantha, de Silva Dhamika, Sheriff M. H. Rezvi, Waidyaratne Dhananjaya L.
Primary Institution: University of Oxford
Hypothesis
Is pesticide self-poisoning a more significant cause of death than road traffic injuries in rural Sri Lanka?
Conclusion
In rural South Asia, fatal self-harm, particularly from pesticide poisoning, is a more significant cause of death than road traffic injuries.
Supporting Evidence
- The annual incidence of death from injury in the province was 84.2 per 100,000 population.
- Poisoning was the most common cause of death, particularly pesticide self-poisoning.
- Road traffic injuries accounted for only 10.8% of deaths, significantly less than poisoning.
Takeaway
In rural areas of Sri Lanka, more people die from poisoning, especially from pesticides, than from car accidents.
Methodology
Data on all deaths from injury in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka were collected over 18 months using coronial, hospital, and police records.
Potential Biases
Potential under-reporting of suicide due to reluctance to classify deaths as intentional without strong evidence.
Limitations
The study relied on retrospective data capture from multiple sources, which may affect the accuracy of intent classification.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on a rural population in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, with a total population of approximately 1.1 million.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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