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Syrup of ipecac. The case for distribution from physicians' offices
1Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892.
American Journal of Diseases of Children (1960)
|June 1, 1988
Summary
Many households lack syrup of ipecac for childhood poisoning emergencies, despite awareness of poison control centers. Pediatricians can improve availability by dispensing ipecac during routine care.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Medicine
- Emergency Preparedness
Background:
- Childhood poisoning remains a significant health concern.
- Public awareness of poison control centers is high, but home preparedness varies.
- Availability of home treatment for poisoning, such as syrup of ipecac, is low.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess public preparedness for childhood poisoning episodes.
- To evaluate physician practices regarding poison control information and syrup of ipecac.
- To identify barriers to home availability of syrup of ipecac.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of nationally representative household interview data.
- Telephone survey of physicians providing pediatric care in the Washington, DC area.
- Comparison of public knowledge and physician dispensing practices.
Main Results:
- 88% of households with young children knew of poison control centers, 70% had the number.
- Only 25% of households had syrup of ipecac; this was 9% for Black and Hispanic households.
- Physicians informed patients about poison control centers (73%) and provided numbers (53%), but rarely dispensed ipecac (7%).
Conclusions:
- Syrup of ipecac is not widely available in American homes for childhood poisoning.
- Physicians play a crucial role in improving ipecac availability by dispensing it during pediatric visits.
- Increased physician dispensing of ipecac could significantly enhance home preparedness for poisoning incidents.