Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
10:11
Whole-Body Nanoparticle Aerosol Inhalation Exposures
Published on: May 7, 2013
Adolescent occupational toxic exposures: a national study
1IC Smith Building, Children's Hospital, Regional Poison Control and Prevention Center, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. woolf@a1.tch.harvard.edu
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
|July 14, 2001
Summary
Adolescent workplace toxic exposures are an underrecognized hazard, with poison control centers tracking these incidents. The frequency of these exposures among adolescents increased over time, highlighting a need for better surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Toxicology
- Pediatric health
Background:
- Workplace injuries in adolescents are well-documented, but toxic exposures are underreported.
- Traditional reporting agencies often miss adolescent occupational toxic exposures.
- Poison control centers are a valuable, yet underutilized, resource for tracking these incidents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency and severity of job-related toxic exposures in adolescents.
- To identify common toxic agents involved in adolescent occupational exposures.
- To analyze trends in adolescent occupational toxic exposures over time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System database (1993-1997).
- Utilized data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
- Employed chi-squared tests and logistic regression to assess associations and trends.
Main Results:
- 3% of 301,228 workplace toxic exposures involved adolescents (<18 years).
- Common agents included alkaline corrosives, gases/fumes, cleaning agents, bleaches, drugs, acids, and hydrocarbons.
- 14.2% of exposures were severe, 0.3% life-threatening, with 2 deaths; adolescent exposures increased over time.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent occupational toxic exposures represent a significant, underrecognized public health risk.
- Poison control center data are crucial for improving surveillance of these injuries.
- Enhanced monitoring through poison control centers can help mitigate adolescent occupational toxic exposures.
Related Concept Videos
01:36Types of Toxins
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
01:26Toxic Reactions: Overview
When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
01:24Drug Toxicity: Risk factors
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are potential complications that arise during pharmacotherapy, influenced by multiple risk factors. Age plays a significant role; both neonates and the elderly are at heightened risk due to their respective immature and diminished metabolic and elimination processes. Gender also impacts ADRs, with females experiencing a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk than males, which may be linked to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and hormonal differences. Notably, neonates, the...
01:21Toxicokinetics: Overview
Studies that assess how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted (ADME) at toxic doses are termed toxicokinetics. Understanding toxicokinetics helps predict adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and manage toxicity in humans.Toxicokinetics differs from pharmacokinetics mainly in the dose levels studied, with toxicokinetics focusing on higher toxic doses. The kinetics at these levels can be non-linear due to altered physiological processes. Toxicodynamics examines the relationship...
01:23Toxicity Testing in Animals
Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...
01:30Toxidromes: Clinical Features
Toxidromes are specific patterns of symptoms resulting from toxic substance exposure. They help in the identification and treatment of poisoning. The symptoms of each toxidrome group indicate poisoning by a certain class of chemicals or drugs.1. Sympathomimetic: Stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include agitation, increased heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), temperature, and pupil size. Drugs like cocaine and amphetamines, along with tremors and...