Pesticide Poisoning among All Poisoning Cases Presenting to the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Acute pesticide poisoning is a significant global public health issue that contributes to one of the leading causes of emergency department visits. There is no national data on the incidence of acute pesticide poisoning or the pesticides that cause deaths. The purpose of this study is to find the prevalence of pesticide poisoning among patients who presented to the emergency department with acute poisoning. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study undertaken in a tertiary care hospital from April to September 2021 among patients who presented to the emergency department with acute poisoning. Ethical clearance was obtained from (reference number: 123/2077-78). Convenient sampling was done. Sociodemographic factors, types of poison consumed, route of consumption, reason, motive, and place of poison intake, time elapse in the presentation to the hospital were studied along with psychological factors associated with poisoning. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. Point estimate at 90% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. RESULTS: Out of 85 cases studied, the prevalence of pesticide poisoning was 60 (70.58%) (61.28-79.88 at 90% Confidence Interval). Insecticides 41 (68.33%) was mainly responsible for poisoning with organophosphate compounds 33 (42.30%), being the commonest chemical constituent. Fifty-three (88.33 %) incidents occurred at home. Domestic disputes 26 (43.33%) were the main reason behind poison consumption and suicide 43 (71.66%) was the main motive. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of pesticide poisoning among all cases of poisoning presenting to the emergency department was slightly higher than studies done earlier in similar settings.