Clinical Comparison of Acute Poisoning Victims Between Urban and Rural Areas

Kim, Sang Gil; Lee, Kyung Won

Abstract

PURPOSE
The living standards vary between the urban and rural areas in Korea. This study aims to compare the characteristics of acute poisoning victims in urban and rural areas.
METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted over a period of 2 years from 2008 to 2009. The study group included adults over 19 year old with acute poisoning and who were later were admitted to the local emergency medical center located in Daegu, Korea. The exclusion criteria were 1) the victims of adverse effects of therapeutic doses of drugs, 2) the victims with chronic exposure and 3) the victims who were missing data in their emergency medical records. We divided the victims into the adult group (19-64 years old) and the old group (over 65 years old).
RESULTS
There were 569 acute poisoning victims during the study period, and they constituted 1.11% of the total ED visits (51,199). Four hundred seventy six patients were enrolled in this study. Out of the 359 acute poisoning victims, 252 victims were from urban areas and 107 victims were from rural areas. They showed statistical differences for gender, ED access, transport, toxins and the time to the ED. In the old group, 61 victims out of 117 were from urban areas and the remaining 56 victims were from rural areas. They showed statistical differences for gender, ED access, toxins and transport.
CONCLUSION
Through the clinical comparison between the acute poisoning victims of urban and rural areas, we exposed the clinical differences between the urban and rural areas, and we concluded that prevention and education for acute poisoning should be generated differently between the two groups.