Authors : Sahar Fareed Al-ahdal, Rajaa Al-Raddadi, Hadeel Khaled Akbar
DOI : 10.18231/j.jchm.2019.003
Volume : 6
Issue : 1
Year : 2019
Page No : 12-20
Introduction: Accidental children poisoning is a potential source of morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of data about its burden in Saudi Arabia.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence and patterns of acute poisoning in children and the response of mothers/caregivers to its incidence in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including the mothers who attended the primary healthcare centers (PHCs) during the period from Sep to Oct 2017 Seven PHCs were randomly selected followed by selecting a proportional sample of mothers from each center. Data collection was performed through an interview with the participants via a structured questionnaire.
Results: In a total of 354 mothers (69.8% with at least a high school education), 82 mothers (23.2%) reported a history of poisoning. The affected children aged 2-5 years with a slight male propensity (53.7%). Therapeutic drugs accounted for 87.8% of cases (mainly antipyretics, cough syrups and decongestants). Telephone consultation and immediate referral to the nearest PHC were the most common responses (86.1% and 70.8%, respectively). Family members were the most frequent source of information (69%) while 76.4% of the mothers had no contact with the drug poisoning center. Poisoning episodes increased significantly when the mother was less educated (P =0.017), non-working (P=0.026), had another child aged <1 P=0.029), P=0.033).>
Conclusion: Accidental children poisoning represents a significant burden. Effective communication with the local drug poisoning center should be established. There is an urgent need to conduct aggressive campaigns to reduce poisoning rates.
Keywords: Poisoning, Children, Saudi Arabia, Morbidity, Drug-related side effects and adverse reactions.