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The first poison control center in Vietnam: experiences of its initial years

Ha Tran Hung1, Thi Du Nguyen, Jonas Höjer

  • 1Vietnam Poison Control Center, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam.

The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health
|June 21, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Poisoning emergencies are a significant health issue in Vietnam, with most cases occurring at home. Pharmaceuticals and "food poisoning" were the most common causes, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Toxicology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Poisoning presents a significant, yet understudied, public health challenge in Vietnam.
  • Hospital-based data on poisoning incidents are crucial for understanding local epidemiology and informing prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the characteristics and outcomes of poisoning cases admitted to a major Poison Control Center in Vietnam.
  • To identify common toxic agents, patient demographics, and treatment modalities for poisoning emergencies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for all poisoning cases admitted to the Hanoi Poison Control Center from 1999 to 2003.
  • Data collection included patient demographics, exposure source, toxic agents, clinical severity (Poisoning Severity Score), treatments administered, and outcomes (fatalities, sequelae).

Main Results:

  • 1,836 poisoning emergencies were recorded, with a near 1:1 female:male ratio and a peak incidence in the 15-24 age group.
  • Most exposures (74.1%) occurred in homes; suicidal poisoning accounted for one-third of cases.
  • Commonly implicated agents included "food poisoning" (35.1%), pharmaceuticals (33.8%), animal toxins (12.6%), and pesticides (9.1%).
  • Two-thirds of patients had mild symptoms (PSS grade 1); 21 fatalities (1.1%) occurred, with hypnotics, heroin, and pesticides being frequent in fatal cases.

Conclusions:

  • Poisoning is a major health concern in Vietnam, particularly among young adults, with home exposures being predominant.
  • Pharmaceuticals, "food poisoning," and pesticides are key agents requiring focused prevention and management strategies.
  • The findings underscore the need for enhanced public health interventions and targeted poisoning prevention programs in developing countries.

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