Psychological and clinical-epidemiological profile of poisoning in Nepal: an institutional experience

Background  Poisoning has become a major public health problem, with the intent in most cases being self-harm and commit suicide. This study highlights the psychological and clinical-epidemiological profile of patients visiting Scheer Memorial Adventist Hospital after poisoning.  Methods  This retrospective record-based study was done among poisoning patients of a hospital in Nepal from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2020. Data were analyzed using STATA version-15.  Results  Out of 134 total poisoning cases, 71 had consumed organophosphate compounds. The majority of the cases were female (59.2% in organophosphate groups, 69.8% in non-organophosphate groups). The circumstances of poisoning were mostly suicidal (95.8% in organophosphate groups, 90.5% in non-organophosphate groups) and the reasons for this being mostly family disputes. Organophosphate groups had 8.41 times higher odds of having complications when compared to non-organophosphorus compounds.   Conclusions  The majority of the poisoning cases were suicidal in nature and family disputes being the major reason for the intake of a poisonous substance. This demands that more attention be given to psychological and family counseling to resolve any disputes, as well as psychological management of poisoning cases after medical management. Also, a strong regulatory mechanism should be imposed to control the easy access to poisonous substances.