Epidemiology of paediatric poisoning reporting to a tertiary hospital in Ghana

• Published in: SAJCH : the South African journal of child health Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 68 - 70
• Main Authors: Ansong, D, Nkyi, C, Appiah, C.O, Amuzu, E.X, Frimpong, C.A, Nyanor, I, Nguah, S.B, Sylverken, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Health & Medical Publishing Group 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Health Care Sciences & Services; Medical research; Pediatric injuries; Poisoning; Preventive medicine; Statistics; Ghana
• ISSN: 1994-3032; 1999-7671; 1999-7671
• DOI: 10.7196/SAJCH.2016.v10i1.1055

Background. Childhood poisoning is an important cause of morbidity in both developed and developing countries. Epidemiological studies on accidental poisoning in children show a consistent pattern regarding age and gender. Childhood poisoning is predominant in children <6 years of age and has a male preponderance, as boys are more active with a drive to explore the environment. Objective. To document the epidemiology of home poisonings in Kumasi and its environs. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study from January 2007 to January 2012 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Ghana. Results. Poisoning is a significant health problem in the study area. A total of 253 children reported to the hospital with poisoning over the 61-month period, with an average of four cases per month. The male to female ratio was 1.58:1. The median age of the children was 24 months (interquartile range 24-48 months). Kerosene was the leading cause of poisoning (39.5%). Conclusion. Paediatric poisoning is a major health hazard in children living in Kumasi and its environs. This can possibly be attributed to a lack of adequate supervision of children and poor storage of harmful substances in homes. Multidisciplinary interventions are needed to reduce the occurrence of the condition in the population at risk. S Afr J Child Health 2016;10(1):68-70. DOI:10.7196/SAJCH.2016.v10i1.1055