Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences
Abstract Background In this study we evaluate differences between rural and urban areas in the causes and incidence of fatal poisonings. Methods Data from all fatal poisonings that occurred in Northern Finland from 2007 to 2011 were retrieved from Cause of Death Registry death certificates provided...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d3e8ad2dfcd549fbb9881fd22d403732 2023-05-15T17:42:27+02:00 Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences Lauri Koskela Lasse Raatiniemi Håkon Kvåle Bakke Tero Ala-Kokko Janne Liisanantti 2017-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 https://doaj.org/article/d3e8ad2dfcd549fbb9881fd22d403732 EN eng BMC http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 https://doaj.org/toc/1757-7241 doi:10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 1757-7241 https://doaj.org/article/d3e8ad2dfcd549fbb9881fd22d403732 Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, Vol 25, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2017) Poisoning Intoxication Alcohol Finland Mixed poisoning Rurality Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid RC86-88.9 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 2022-12-31T00:40:33Z Abstract Background In this study we evaluate differences between rural and urban areas in the causes and incidence of fatal poisonings. Methods Data from all fatal poisonings that occurred in Northern Finland from 2007 to 2011 were retrieved from Cause of Death Registry death certificates provided by Statistics Finland. The demographics and causes of fatalities were compared between rural and urban areas. Incidences were calculated based on the population data. Results There were a total of 684 fatal poisonings during the study period and 57.9% (n = 396) occurred in the urban population. Ethanol was the most common primary poisoning agent in cases of fatal poisoning, accounting for 47.5% of cases in urban areas and 68.1% in rural areas (P < 0.001). Fatal poisonings caused by psychoactive pharmaceutical products and opioids were more common in urban areas (28.3% compared to 18.0%, P < 0.001). The crude incidence of fatal poisonings in the study area was 18.8 (17.4–20.2) per 100,000 inhabitants per year and there was no difference in incidence between urban and rural areas. In the youngest age group (15 to 24 years), the incidence of fatal poisonings observed in urban areas was two times higher than that in rural areas. Discussion Higher rate of fatal ethanol poisonings in rural areas could be linked to higher alcohol consumption in rural areas and also differences in drinking behaviour. Higher incidence of poisoning suicides in urban areas could be due to availability of different toxic agents as a suicidal method. Preventive measures could be key in reducing the number of fatal poisonings in both areas, as most of the fatal poisonings still occur outside hospital. Conclusion There was a higher rate of fatal ethanol poisoning in rural areas and higher rate of fatal poisoning related to psychoactive pharmaceutical products and opioids in urban areas. There were twice as many fatal poisonings in the youngest age group (15–24 years) in urban areas compared to rural areas, and suicide was more common in urban ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Finland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine 25 1 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
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English |
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Poisoning Intoxication Alcohol Finland Mixed poisoning Rurality Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid RC86-88.9 |
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Poisoning Intoxication Alcohol Finland Mixed poisoning Rurality Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid RC86-88.9 Lauri Koskela Lasse Raatiniemi Håkon Kvåle Bakke Tero Ala-Kokko Janne Liisanantti Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
topic_facet |
Poisoning Intoxication Alcohol Finland Mixed poisoning Rurality Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid RC86-88.9 |
description |
Abstract Background In this study we evaluate differences between rural and urban areas in the causes and incidence of fatal poisonings. Methods Data from all fatal poisonings that occurred in Northern Finland from 2007 to 2011 were retrieved from Cause of Death Registry death certificates provided by Statistics Finland. The demographics and causes of fatalities were compared between rural and urban areas. Incidences were calculated based on the population data. Results There were a total of 684 fatal poisonings during the study period and 57.9% (n = 396) occurred in the urban population. Ethanol was the most common primary poisoning agent in cases of fatal poisoning, accounting for 47.5% of cases in urban areas and 68.1% in rural areas (P < 0.001). Fatal poisonings caused by psychoactive pharmaceutical products and opioids were more common in urban areas (28.3% compared to 18.0%, P < 0.001). The crude incidence of fatal poisonings in the study area was 18.8 (17.4–20.2) per 100,000 inhabitants per year and there was no difference in incidence between urban and rural areas. In the youngest age group (15 to 24 years), the incidence of fatal poisonings observed in urban areas was two times higher than that in rural areas. Discussion Higher rate of fatal ethanol poisonings in rural areas could be linked to higher alcohol consumption in rural areas and also differences in drinking behaviour. Higher incidence of poisoning suicides in urban areas could be due to availability of different toxic agents as a suicidal method. Preventive measures could be key in reducing the number of fatal poisonings in both areas, as most of the fatal poisonings still occur outside hospital. Conclusion There was a higher rate of fatal ethanol poisoning in rural areas and higher rate of fatal poisoning related to psychoactive pharmaceutical products and opioids in urban areas. There were twice as many fatal poisonings in the youngest age group (15–24 years) in urban areas compared to rural areas, and suicide was more common in urban ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lauri Koskela Lasse Raatiniemi Håkon Kvåle Bakke Tero Ala-Kokko Janne Liisanantti |
author_facet |
Lauri Koskela Lasse Raatiniemi Håkon Kvåle Bakke Tero Ala-Kokko Janne Liisanantti |
author_sort |
Lauri Koskela |
title |
Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
title_short |
Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
title_full |
Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
title_fullStr |
Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fatal poisonings in Northern Finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
title_sort |
fatal poisonings in northern finland: causes, incidence, and rural-urban differences |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 https://doaj.org/article/d3e8ad2dfcd549fbb9881fd22d403732 |
genre |
Northern Finland |
genre_facet |
Northern Finland |
op_source |
Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, Vol 25, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 https://doaj.org/toc/1757-7241 doi:10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 1757-7241 https://doaj.org/article/d3e8ad2dfcd549fbb9881fd22d403732 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-017-0431-8 |
container_title |
Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine |
container_volume |
25 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766144321214480384 |