Abstract:
Background: Acute poisoning (AP) represents a significant public health challenge worldwide,
exerting considerable morbidity and mortality burdens. Understanding of patterns over different
regions during different time durations is important to take preventive measures to increase the
quality of life.
Objective: To determine the prevalence, case fatality rate, and association of socio-demographic
factors of AP in the Galle district and to assess the pattern of fatal and non-fatal AP
Methods: Data of all AP admissions and, suicides and homicides following AP from January 1,
2020, to December 31, 2022 were collected from the Indoor Morbidity and Mortality Return
(IMMR) system of the teaching hospital Karapitiya (THK) and records available at district Crime
Detective Bureau units of the Galle and Elpitiya police divisions, respectively. Data were analysed
using SPSS version 26.0 and Microsoft Excel.
Results: During the study period, 1297 individuals were admitted to THK following AP including
671 females (51.7%), while 93 fatal deliberate AP cases were reported in police records with
84.9% of males (n=79). The prevalence was 40.3 per 100,000 population per year (95% CI= 36.8
44.2). The case fatality rate of AP was 8.9% (95% CI=6.6-11.8%). The highest prevalence
(22.3/100,000 population, 95% CI=19.7-25.2) and case fatality rate were reported from poisoning
with medicaments and pesticides respectively. The highest proportion of AP cases were reported
from 11-20 years age group (n=444, 32.1%, 95% CI=30.2-35.2). There was a significant
association of poison category with gender (p<0.05, 2=125.9), age (p<0.05, 2=236.7), and the
individual’s outcome; death or alive (p<0.05, 2=250.9).
Conclusions: The predominant group vulnerable to acute poisoning in the study group was
females. Fatal deliberate self-poisoning was more common among males. The 11-20 years age
group reported the highest number of AP cases during the period.
