Trends in Poisoning Hospitalization and Mortality in Taiwan (1999-2008)
Author Information
Author(s): Chien Wu-Chien, Lin Jin-Ding, Lai Ching-Huang, Chung Chi-Hsiang, Hung Yu-Chen
Primary Institution: National Defense Medical Center
Hypothesis
The study aimed to describe the epidemiology of poisoning in Taiwan from 1999 to 2008.
Conclusion
Males aged 65 years or older were at highest risk of poisoning, with medicinal drugs being the leading cause, and hospitalization rates increased more than mortality rates over the 10-year period.
Supporting Evidence
- There were 20,620 deaths and 210,021 hospitalizations related to poisoning.
- Males exhibited higher rates of mortality and hospitalization as a result of poisoning.
- Medicinal drugs followed by pesticides were the two most common agents of poisoning.
- There was an increasing trend of both poisoning-related mortality and hospitalization rates during the study period.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many people got sick or died from poisoning in Taiwan over ten years, finding that older men were most at risk, especially from medicines.
Methodology
The study analyzed mortality and hospitalization data from official Taiwanese vital statistics and the National Health Insurance Research Database, using Poisson regression to investigate trends.
Limitations
The study was limited by the availability of cause-of-death statistics and hospitalization data, lacking detailed clinical information.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on poisoning cases in Taiwan, particularly highlighting males aged 65 years or older.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .002
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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