Figure 1 Acute Chemical Poisoning Cases by Age Group at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar City, Amhara Region, Ethiopia (May 2022 – November 2023)
Outcomes of Patients with Acute Chemical Poisoning in Public Referral Hospitals of Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia
1Amhara Public Health Institute, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
*Corresponding Author: Desalew Salew Email: desalew131@gmail.com. Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Background: Acute chemical poisoning is a global public health concern. It is influenced by factors such as geographical differences, availability of chemical substances, occupation, and industrialization. Widespread pesticide use in developing countries increased its incident. There is insufficient epidemiological data in the region to manage and intervene the problem. The study aims to assess the outcome of acute chemical poisoning cases in two public specialized hospitals of Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia from May 2022 to November 2023.
Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Emergency departments of the two public hospitals in Bahir Dar City from May 2022 to November 2023 to assess the outcome of acute chemical poisoning cases. A total of 619 registered patients diagnosed with poisoning were included in the study. Socio-demographic data were collected from the medical records of acute poisoning patients using a data collection checklist. Descriptive analysis was performed using statistical tools in Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), and the results were presented through tables and graphs. Ethical approval was obtained from the Amhara National Regional State Public Health Institute Research Ethics Review Board (ARRERB), and cooperation letters to the hospitals were requested.
Results: There was a higher incidence of chemical poisoning in females than in males. Seventy percent of the cases were between 15-29 years of age. 86.16% of the chemical poisoning cases were attributed to Organophosphates and Metallo Phosphides. The most reported complaints 97.4% cases were vomiting, and abdominal pain. Chemical poisoning cases were primarily intentional accounting for 93.3% of the cases. Twelve percent of acute chemical poisoning cases were died. The study indicates a higher (32.10%) cases in Spring and fewer (18.01%) cases in Autumn.
Conclusion: Acute chemical poisoning is more common in females and youths aged 11-30 years, primarily due to organophosphorus chemicals, often resulting from intentional poisoning. Effective strategies are essential for safely storing and distributing highly toxic chemicals, especially to prevent children from accessing them.
Keywords: Acute chemical poisoning; Bahir Dar; Ethiopia; hospital; outcome; patients; pattern.
የጥናቱ መግቢያ፡- አጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ የዓለም የኅብረተሰብ ጤና አሳሳቢ ጉዳይ ነው። እንደ መልካምድራዊ ልዩነቶች፣ የኬሚካል ቁሶች ተደራሽነት (መገኘት መቻል)፣ ወረራና የኢንዱስትሪ መስፋፋት የመሳሰሉ ተላውጦዎች በአጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ መከሰቶች ላይ ተፅዕኖ ያደርጋሉ። በማደግ ላይ ባሉ ሀገሮች የፀረ ተባይ ኬሚካሎችን በስፋት ጥቅም ላይ ማዋል አጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ መከሰቶችን ይጨምራል። በክልሉ ችግሩን በአግባቡ ለመያዝና ለችግሩ ምላሽ ለመስጠት በቂ በአጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ መከሰቶች ላይ ያተኮረ ሳይንሳዊ የስርጭትና ቁጥጥር ጥናት መረጃ የለም። ይህ ጥናት እ.አ.አ. ከግንቦት 2022 እስከ ኅዳር 2023 በነበረው ጊዜ በባሕር ዳር ከተማ፣ ኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ በሚገኙ ሁለት የመንግሥት ስፔሻላይዝድ ሆስፒታሎች ውስጥ በአጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ ታማሚዎች ላይ የተስተዋሉ ፓተርኖችና የተገኙ ውጤቶችን መገምገም ነው።
የጥናቱ ዘዴ፡- በአጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ ታማሚዎች ላይ የተስተዋሉ ፓተርኖችና የተገኙ ውጤቶችን ለመገምገም፣ እ.አ.አ. ከግንቦት 2022 እስከ ኅዳር 2023 በነበረው ጊዜ በባሕር ዳር ከተማ ውስጥ በሚገኙ ሁለት የመንግሥት ስፔሻላይዝድ ሆስፒታሎች ውስጥ በድንገተኛ ክፍሎች ላይ ዳኅራይ ተሻጋሪ ጥናት ተካሂዷል። በጥናቱ በመመረዝ ምርመራ የተመዘገቡ 619 ታማሚዎች ተካትተዋል። የማኅበረ ሥነ ህዝባዊ ተላውጦዎች መረጃዎች ቼክሊሰቶችን በመጠቀም ከአጣዳፊ የመመረዝ ታማሚዎች የሕክምና መዝገቦች ተሰብስበዋል። የተሰበሰበው መረጃ የኤስፒኤስኤስ (SPSS) ስታቲሰቲካዊ መሣሪያዎችን በመጠቀም በገላጭ ትንተና ቀርቧል። መረጃው ተተንትኖ የቀረበው ሰንጠረዦችንና ግራፎችን በመጠቀም ነው። የምርምር ሥነምግባራዊ ማረጋገጫ ከአማራ ክልል የምርምር ሥነምግባር ግምገማ ቦረድ ተገኝቶ የነበረ ሲሆን ለሆስፒታሎች የትብብር ደብዳቤ ተልኳል።
የጥናቱ ውጤት፡- የጥናቱ ውጤት እንደሚያሳየው ከጾታ አንጻር የኬሚካል መመረዝ መከሰት ከወንዶች የበለጠ በሴቶች ላይ ከፍተኛ ነበር። ከእድሜ አኳያ ደግሞ 70 በመቶ የሚሆኑት የኬሚካል መመረዝ ታማሚዎች ከ15-29 ዓመት የእድሜ ክልል ያሉ ወጣቶች ነበሩ። 86.16 በመቶ የሚሆኑት የኬሚካል መመረዞች የተከሰቱት በኦርጋኖፎስፌት (Organophosphate)ና በሜታሊክ ፎስፋይድ (Metallo phosphide) አማካኝነት የተከሰቱ ነበሩ። 97.4 በመቶ የሚሆኑት ታማሚዎች ያሳዩዋቸው ምልክቶች ማስመለስና የሆድ ህመም ነበሩ። የኬሚካል መመረዞች የተከሰቱት በቀዳሚነት (93.3 በመቶ) ሆነ ተብለው ነው። 12 በመቶዎቹ የኬሚካል መመረዝ ታማሚዎች ሞተዋል። ጥናቱ ከፍተኛ የኬሚካል መመረዞች (32.1 በመቶ) የተከሰቱት በጸደይ እንደነበርና ዝቅተኛ የኬሚካል መመረዞች (18.1 በመቶ) ደግሞ የተከሰቱት በበልግ እንደነበር አሳይቷል።
የጥናቱ ማጠቃለያና ምክረሐሳብ፡- አጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ መከሰት ከ11-30ዓመት የእድሜ ክልል ባሉ ወጣቶች ከፍተኛ ነበር። ለመመረዙ በጣም የተለመዱት ኬሚካሎች ኦርጋኖፎስፈረስ የነበሩ ሲሆን ሆነ ብሎ መመረዝ ደግሞ ዋነኛው አጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ መከሰት ምክንያት ነበር። በጣም መርዛማ የሆኑ ኬሚካሎችን አቀማመጥና ሥርጭት በተለይ ልጆች እንዳይደርሷቸው ውጤታማ የመመረዝ መከላከያ ስልቶች ያስፈልጋሉ።
ቁልፍ ቃላት፡- አጣዳፊ የኬሚካል መመረዝ፣ ባሕር ዳር፣ ኢትዮጵያ፣ ሆስፒታል፣ ውጤት፣ ተማሚዎች፣ፓተርኖች
A poison is any substance that is harmful when ingested, inhaled, injected, or absorbed in to the body. Poisoning is a qualitative term that refers to a chemical substance’s ability to have a negative or harmful effect on the body 1. Poison can enter the body through various routes, leading to systemic and local effects. Poisoning can happen intentionally or accidentally, such as through occupational exposure, environmental contact, or everyday activities at home. Accidental or non-intentional poisoning refers to incidents where drugs or chemicals are used inadvertently, without purpose 2.
Acute chemical poisoning refers to the rapid onset of toxic effects, typically within 24 hours of exposure, regardless of the route of exposure, whether intentional or unintentional 3. It is a frequent cause of emergency admissions and hospitalizations, often leading to illness and death. Poisoning represents a substantial global public health issue 4, 5. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data from 2012, around 193,460 deaths worldwide were attributed to unintentional poisoning, with 84% of these occurring in low- and middle-income countries 4. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that deliberate ingestion of pesticides causes 370,000 deaths each year, ranking poisoning among the top 50 causes of death worldwide 6.
The actual number of incidents could be higher since many cases of poisoning go unreported 7. Patterns and causes of acute poisoning vary across geographical regions, even within the same country or region 7. Studies indicate that the incidence of poisoning in a particular area is influenced by the accessibility of toxic substances, the prevalent occupations within the community, and religious and societal factors 8. The number of cases is increasing daily due to changes in lifestyle and social behavior 4. The rapid expansion of industry and the widespread use of pesticides and drugs have resulted in increased incidents of poisoning and potential harm when used incorrectly 8, 9. Agricultural pesticides and household cleaning agents are commonly used poisons in developing countries 10. The increase in poisoning cases in developing nations is attributed to inadequate regulation of drugs and chemicals, weak surveillance systems, insufficient enforcement measures, and easy access to various substances 9.
Acute pesticide poisoning, especially in developing countries, results in substantial morbidity and mortality due to factors such as lack of standardized case definitions, underreporting, inadequate documentation, and a shortage of tools and expertise 11, 12.
In a study conducted at two hospitals in Ambo, Ethiopia, the hospital prevalence of acute poisoning was 1.7% 13. It is notably more prevalent among females and individuals under 30 years of age 10. According to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), in their epidemiological bulletin for week 23, a total of 387 cases of chemical poisoning and 21 deaths were reported from January 1, 2022, to June 6, 2022. Among these, 216 cases (55.81%) and 11 deaths (52.38%) occurred in the Amhara region 14.
Although acute chemical poisoning is a prevalent health issue, it is often overlooked due to challenges in diagnosing poisoning cases 15. Understanding current trends is essential for improving diagnosis, management, intervention, and prevention strategies. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the patterns and clinical outcomes among acute poisoning cases treated at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (FHCSH) and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital (TGSH) over nineteen-month period from May 2022 to November 2023.
Bahir Dar, the capital city of the Amhara Region, is located 567 km northwest of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. The city is situated at the geographical coordinates of 11° 35' 34" N and 37° 23' 03" E. The city administration includes three smaller urban areas: Zegie, Tis Abay, and Meshenti. According to the Bahir Dar administration's estimation for 2022, the city's total population was approximately 422,580, with females accounting for 51% (215,516 individuals). Bahir Dar is administratively divided into 20 kebeles, which are the smallest administrative units in the country. The area encompasses a total of 40,893 households, with an average of 4.47 persons per household. The population density is 753 persons per square kilometer. Approximately 81.2% of the population resides in urban areas, while the remainder lives in rural kebeles surrounding Bahir Dar16. The city hosts three public hospitals, 10 health centers, 15 health posts, four private general hospitals, and 16 private clinics. The study was conducted at the Emergency Departments (ED) of two selected public hospitals: Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (FHSRH) and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospitals (TGSH) in Bahir Dar city administration, located in the northwest region of Ethiopia, from May 2022 to November 2023.
An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the patterns and clinical outcomes of acute poisoning cases at the Emergency Outpatient Departments (EOPD) of the two selected hospitals.
Patients of all age groups who presented with acute poisoning to the emergency department were included and listed in the registry of emergency cases during the study period.
Patients with recreational drugs of abuse (such as alcohol and cocaine), patients affected by natural poisons like stings and envenomation, and acute poisoning cases with incomplete information on the patient registry form were excluded from the study. Only one case of acute chemical poisoning was excluded due to incomplete data.
The sample size comprised all recorded data of acute chemical poisoning cases at the Emergency Departments (ED) of the two purposely selected high-volume specialized public hospitals in Bahir Dar city: Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (FHSRH) and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital (TGSH). A total of 619 patients were registered in the Emergency Department of these hospitals with a primary diagnosis of acute chemical poisoning, and their histories were documented in the emergency registry forms. during the study period were included in the study.
Dependent Variables: Outcome of Acute chemical poisoning
Independent Variable: Age, sex, route of poisoning, type of chemical poisoning, poisoning situation, and season of poisoning.
A data collection checklist containing the variables to be collected from the patient registry was prepared and used for data extraction. The data were collected by two BSc nurses with experience in data collection, who were trained on the data collection process. Patients with acute poisoning were identified and selected from the patient registration books. Socio-demographic data (age, sex), route of exposure, clinical presentation/presenting complaint, type of poisoning, season of poisoning, and outcome of poisoning were extracted from the patients' medical records.
The data collection process was supervised and supported by supervisors. Data recorded in Microsoft Excel was immediately checked for completeness, accuracy, and consistency after collection, and was appropriately organized and stored for compilation and analysis. After reviewing and ensuring completeness, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 software was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistical tools, such as percentages and frequencies, were employed to report the data. Results were presented using percentage breakdowns, frequency tables, and figures.
The study revealed that acute chemical poisoning cases were more prevalent among females (66.56%) than males (33.44%). Most cases occurred in the age group 15-39 years, constituting approximately 70% of all acute chemical poisoning cases (22.1% aged 15-19, 29.8% aged 20-24, and 18.1% aged 25-29). The majority of cases were from Bahir Dar City Administration (358 cases, 57.84%). Awi, Bahir Dar, Central Gondar, East Gojjam, South Gondar, and West Gojjam were the residence zones of the cases among which 358 (57.84%) were from Bahir Dar, 117(18.9%) from West Gojjam, 117(18.9%) from South Gondar, 10(1.62%) from East Gojjam, 10(1.62%) from C. Gondar, 7(1.13%) from Awi zone (Table 1).
Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of patients presenting with chemical poisoning cases at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Teaching Hospitals from May 2022 to November 2023 (n=619)
| Variable | Category |
Frequency (n) |
Percent (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Female | 412 | 66.56 |
| Male | 207 | 33.44 | |
| Age by 5-year Category | 0-4 | 2 | 0.3 |
| 5–9 | 1 | 0.2 | |
| 4-Oct | 10 | 1.6 | |
| 15-19 | 137 | 22.1 | |
| 20-24 | 185 | 29.8 | |
| 25-29 | 112 | 18.1 | |
| 30-34 | 52 | 8.4 | |
| 35-39 | 35 | 5.6 | |
| 40-44 | 30 | 4.8 | |
| 45-49 | 22 | 3.55 | |
| 50-54 | 16 | 2.6 | |
| 55-59 | 8 | 1.3 | |
| 60-64 | 6 | 1 | |
| >=65 | 3 | 0.5 | |
| Residence of acute chemical poisoning cases | Awi | 7 | 1.13 |
| Bahir Dar | 358 | 57.84 | |
| Central Gondar | 10 | 1.61 | |
| East Gojjam | 10 | 1.61 | |
| South Gondar | 117 | 18.9 | |
| West Gojjam | 117 | 18.9 |
The proportion of chemical poisoning cases among individuals aged 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, and 30-34 was 22.13%, 29.89%, 18.09%, and 8.40% respectively, collectively accounting for 78.5% of all chemical poisoning cases within the 15-34 age group. A similar trend was observed among residents of Bahir Dar, with percentages of 22.63%, 30.73%, 21.23%, and 8.10% in the respective age groups, totaling 82.69% of all cases among Bahir Dar residents.
Regarding age, acute chemical poisoning cases were similar among Bahir Dar city residents and the overall cases at the two hospitals. Most of these cases occurred in the 15–30 age group (Figure 1).
The types of complaints commonly associated with chemical poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, burning sensation, chest pain, fatigue, and loss of consciousness. According to the study, vomiting was the most commonly reported symptom among poisoning cases, noted in 61.34% of cases, followed by abdominal pain, reported in 36.07% of cases. Furthermore, the study found that 95.4% of chemical poisonings were attributed to five types of chemicals: Organophosphates (57.95%), Metallo Phosphides (28.21%), rat poison (3.76%), drug overdose (2.74%), and bleach (2.74%) (Figure 2).
The acute chemical poisoning cases were reported by two specialized public hospitals in the Amhara region: Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, which accounted for 80.3%, and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Teaching Hospital, which accounted for the remaining 19.7% of cases. Regarding the outcomes of poisoning, the majority (87.6%) of cases showed improvement and survival, while 12.1% of acute chemical poisoning cases resulted in death, with only 0.3% leaving against medical advice (Figure 3).
The causes of acute chemical poisoning included both intentional and accidental occurrences. The study revealed that the majority, 97.3% of cases, were intentional, while the remaining 2.7% were accidental. A one-year data to illustrate seasonal variations showed a higher number of cases occurring in Spring, with proportions of 32.10% in Spring, 27.48% in Winter, 22.40% in Summer, and 18.01% in Autumn (Figure 4).
The study found that females accounted for 66.56% of poisoning cases, representing a ratio of 1.99:1 compared to males. This trend mirrors findings from other studies: in Wellega, Ethiopia, 59.2% of poisoning cases were females 9; a review across Ethiopia indicated rates as high as 78% of chemical poisoning cases in females10. Similar proportions were observed in Goztepe Training and Research Hospitals in Turkey (64.7%) 17, as well as in studies conducted in central and zonal district hospitals and a tertiary care hospital in South India 2, 18. A possible explanation for these findings is the higher suicide rates among females in Ethiopia, influenced by cultural norms and practices. Young females in Ethiopia often experience close monitoring by their families, leading to behaviors such as concealing intimate relationships to avoid conflict. This can result in familial and personal discord, potentially prompting suicide attempts involving various poisons or drugs 19.
The average age of acute chemical poisoning cases by the current study was 26.45 years, with a standard deviation of 10.7 years. The finding was consistent with the findings of studies which found that the average age of acute chemical poisoning cases were: 25.5 years at University of Gondar Teaching Hospital20, 25.18 years in Adama referral hospital21, 24.36 years in teaching hospitals of Northwest Ethiopia19, 23.1 years in hospital of Adama medical college22, 25 years in Tikur Anbessa specialized teaching hospital 23, and 27.4 years in Goztepe Training and Research Hospitals in Turkey 17. It was also found that 77.38.5% of the cases were between 11 to 30 years. This finding was similar to a study conducted at Tikur Anbessa Hospital in Addis Ababa, where 87.9% of poisonings occurred among individuals aged between 13 to 30 years 23, 66.2% between age 12-29 years in two hospitals of Ambo 13, 70.4% in age between 11-30 years in Debre Markos 24, 76.7% between age group 11-30 years in Dessie Referral Hospital Ethiopia 25, 79.6% between age group 13-34 years in Addis Ababa Burn, Emergency, and Trauma Hospital 26, 88.42% between age group 11-30 years in University of Gondar teaching hospitals northwest Ethiopia 27; 60.9% between 10-30 years in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Southern India 28. In this study, the age group most vulnerable to acute chemical poisoning was young adults between 15-30 years of age. This finding aligns with similar studies conducted in Ethiopia 10, Kenya 29, India 30, Iran31, and China 32. The high incidence of acute chemical poisoning among young adults can be partially attributed to their susceptibility to stressful life circumstances and their emotional vulnerability, which may lead to suicidal tendencies. Additionally, this age group often experiences adjustment disorders, further predisposing them to suicidal behaviors 33. moreover, young adults in this age group frequently encounter challenges such as romantic disappointments, job or academic failures, and the pressure of meeting parental expectations, all of which can contribute to their heightened risk of chemical poisoning and suicidal acts 31-33.
The study found that Organophosphate and Metallo Phosphide were the most common chemical agents involved in poisoning cases, accounting for 57.95% and 28.21% of cases, respectively. Specifically, the study confirmed the presence of 61.3% Organophosphate and 25.7% Metallo Phosphide at DMCSH 24. This finding is aligned with studies in selected hospitals in Wollega Ethiopia9, Ambo Ethiopia 13, Dessie Ethiopia 25, teaching hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia 34, urban referral hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia 35 which reported organophosphates were the most commonly used chemical poisoning. The prevalence of organophosphate poisoning may be attributed to their widespread use as chemical agents, with agrochemicals being the most commonly used for self-harm in developing countries 36, 37. A study in Ethiopia (2016) found that pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are the most common cause of poisoning in less industrialized countries, due to poor safety culture, illiteracy, ignorance, and lack of protective devices 38.
This study found that the cause for majority (97.3%) of chemical poisoning cases were intentional poisoning. This finding is similar with the finding of studies: 98.0% in Addis Ababa Ethiopia 26, Though relatively lower as compared to our finding, higher intentional poisoning cases were also reported 76.9% in Ambo Ethiopia 13, 77.8% in Nepal 38, and 96.6% in Tikur Anbesa Hospital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 23, which revealed intentional poisoning was the most common cause or manner of poisoning. The current findings indicate a higher incidence rate than those reported in Wollega, Ethiopia (46.45%) 9, Dessie, Ethiopia (64.2%)25, and India (68.40%) 39. The discrepancies observed may be from socioeconomic disparities, as well as the varying availability and accessibility of poisonous substances. Moreover, the high intentional poisoning rate can be attributed to various factors including familial, social, economic, psychological, personal challenges, and immaturity or inadequacy in coping with immediate situations.
The study indicated an overall mortality rate of 12.1%, which is higher than the rates observed in Dessie, Ethiopia (6.6%)25, Southern India (5.32%)28, Wollega, Ethiopia (7.10%) 9, and Jimma, Ethiopia (5.8%) 23. However, this rate is low compared to studies conducted in Metu, Ethiopia 27.6% (8), in five public hospitals of Amhara Ethiopia 18% 40. The variations in these rates may be attributable to factors such as the timeliness of diagnosis, the type of poison exposure, the patient’s time of arrival at the hospital13,24, the initial severity41. pre-hospital care and transportation services.
An analysis of the one-year trend in acute chemical poisoning cases revealed seasonal variations. Specifically, the percentages of cases in Spring, Winter, Summer, and Autumn were 32.10%, 27.48%, 22.40%, and 18.01%, respectively.
This study finding aligns with the finding from University of Gondar Ethiopia, which reported that 32.2% of cases were admitted during Ethiopia's spring season 27. A similar finding was reported by a study in Wollega Ethiopia 9. However, it was in contrast with the finding of a study in Dessie, Ethiopia, 31.7% of acute chemical poisoning cases were reported in autumn and 15.8% during spring 25. Studies in Palestine and others also discovered similar seasonal variations in the number of poisoning cases 34. Based on our observation the higher number of acute chemical poisoning cases in winter could be explained because of the easy availability and storage of agrochemical pesticides and insecticides of grains during the Ethiopian harvesting periods.
One of the limitations of this study is that it attempted to determine the pattern of the acute chemical poisoning cases using only the existing variables and it was difficult to get additional variables.
This study revealed that poisoning incidents were more frequent among females than males, with individuals aged 11 to 30 years being particularly vulnerable. Agrochemicals, especially organophosphorus insecticides, were identified as the most commonly used substances in these cases. Furthermore, the study found that nearly all cases of acute chemical poisoning were intentional and frequently associated with self-harm. A notably high mortality rate was also observed in attributed to chemical poisonings.
It calls for an urgent need to raise public awareness about the severity of this issue. Developing and implementing effective poisoning prevention strategies could significantly mitigate its impact on the health of the general population.
We extend our profound gratitude to the Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Tibebe Ghion Specialized Teaching Hospitals, as well as to the dedicated data collectors and supervisors. We also wish to express our sincere thanks to the Amhara National Regional State Public Health Institute for its invaluable support.
EOPD: Emergency Outpatient Department of two selected public hospitals:
FHCSH = Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and
TGSTH: Tibebe Ghion Specialized Teaching Hospitals Specialized Hospital
SPSS: Statistical Packages for Social Sciences
PIC: Poison Information Center
ACP: Acute Chemical Poisoning
ARRERB: Amhara Regional Research Ethics Review Board
An ethical approval letter was obtained from the Amhara National Regional State Public Health Institute Research Ethics Review Board (ARRERB with a Ref:NoH/R/T/T/D/07/78 on Date: 12/06/2024GC). Letters of cooperation were also sent to the respective hospitals involved in the study. After data collection, all personal identifiers were removed to ensure confidentiality and privacy of the data. Strict measures were taken to maintain the confidentiality of the information throughout the study.
Not applicable.
All the datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Funding was not received from any organization.
DS, GD, SL, HA, and AA conceived the study, carried out the overall design, analyzed, and interpreted the data, statistical analysis. All Authors have reviewed the manuscript.
DS had a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science.