Poisoning Statistics, 2014 Washington, DC Metro Area

• 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. 
• 15,234 people (27%) 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.
• 44% of poison exposures involved children younger than six, but the most serious cases occurred in adolescents and adults.
• 55% of poison exposures involved medications; other exposures were to household or automotive products, plants, mushrooms, pesticides, animal bites and stings.
• 75% of poison exposures involved people who swallowed a drug or poison. People were also poisoned by inhalation and through exposures to the skin or eyes.
• 65% of poison exposures were safely managed over the phone and did not need medical treatment in a health care facility. However, 83% of those who called a poison center first, before gong to a health care facility were safety treated at home. This number increases to 90% for pediatric poisonings when the Poison Center is consulted first, before other medical intervention is sought. 

56,896 Consultations Were Provided in 2014

Reasons for Reported Poison Exposures
National Capital Poison Center, 2014

Poisonings by Age Group
National Capital Poison Center, 2014

Poison Exposures by Age
National Capital Poison Center, 2014

Most Common Poison Exposures for Children < 6 Years
National Capital Poison Center, 2014

Related Links

Summary of Poison Statistics, Washington DC region

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