Poisoning Statistics, 2023 Washington, DC Metro Area 2023

In 2023, the National Capital Poison Center provided consultations for 172,954 people. Approximately 21% (37,157) were calls about people exposed to a poison. An additional 127,992 (74%) were human exposures managed online through webPOISONCONTROL. Other consultations involved pet poisonings (1,004) and information requests (6,697). Some interesting facts include:  

• Most poison exposures (77%) were unintentional. The Center also received calls about other types of poisonings: medication side effects, substance abuse, malicious poisonings, and suicide attempts. 
• 6,697 people (15% of the telephone consultations) called for poison-related information. Their questions were about possible problems with medication interactions, pesticide use, workplace chemicals, the safety of specific medications while breast-feeding, and many more topics.
• 36% of poison exposures involved children younger than six, but the most serious cases occurred in adolescents and adults.
• 58% of poison exposures involved medications; other exposures were to household or automotive products, plants, mushrooms, pesticides, animal bites and stings.
• 74% of poison exposures involved people who swallowed a drug or other substance. People were also exposed by inhalation, the skin, or the eyes.
• 69% of poison exposures were safely managed over the phone and did not need medical treatment in a health care facility. However, 88% of those who called a poison center first, before going to a health care facility were safely treated at home. This number increases to nearly 92% when the Poison Center is consulted before other medical intervention is sought in pediatric poisonings. 

While children under 15 years old comprised approximately 18% of the U.S. population in 2023, they comprised 48% of human exposure calls to NCPC.

Related Links

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC metro area, 2020

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC metro area, 2019

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC metro area, 2018

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC metro area, 2017

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC metro area, 2016

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC metro area, 2015

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington, DC metro area, 2014

Summary of National Poison Statistics, Reports to U.S. Poison Control Centers