DELIBERATE SELF-POISONING WITH DRUGS AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS IN NORTH JORDAN - A 4-YEAR REVIEW

Objectives: To study the clinical and sociodemographic trends and dete rmine the pattern and resources of parasuicide with drugs and househol d products in North Jordan. Design: A retrospective data review. Setti ng: The Medical Department, Princess Basma Teaching Hospital, a 500-be d university-affiliated hospital in North Jordan. Subjects: All patien ts aged 15 years and over, with a diagnosis of deliberate drug overdos e, ingestion or poisoning, listed according to the International Class ification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD-9) over the period January 1 990 to January 1994, were included in the study. Results: Over the ind exed period 709 cases were admitted. These cases represented 8% of all acute medical admissions. The annual incidence rate was 127 cases per 100000 population. The highest rates were found among adolescents (41 6 cases per 100000 in the 15-19 year age group). There was no signific ant age difference for both sexes (mean +/- SD was 22.1 +/- 6.7 and 21 .7 +/- 6.4 for males and females respectively) (p > 0.05). The female to male ratio was 1.4:1 and the mean length of stay in hospital was 2. 7 days. Household products were the most common agents used (19%), fol lowed by paracetamol (15%), while the most common source of the agent involved was a drug prescribed to the patient or a family member (38%) , followed by household products and agricultural organophosphorus com pounds available at home (23%). A psychiatric diagnosis was made in 17 % of cases and a previous suicidal attempt had been made in 10% of the cases. Twenty per cent (20%) were admitted to the medical intensive c are unit (MICU); 8% were in coma at the time of admission and four of these patients died, constituting a hospital mortality of 0.6%. Conclu sion: The findings of this study refute the general belief that parasu icide is rare in this part of the world. Clearly it continues to be a major health problem for which effective preventive and therapeutic st rategies are badly needed.