Epidemiology of kerosene poisoning in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective analysis

Limited national studies exist on the epidemiology of kerosene poisoning in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine the frequency, demographic distribution, geographic patterns, and seasonal variations of kerosene poisoning incidents in Saudi Arabia from January 2019 to December 2021.

This retrospective cross-sectional study utilized data on all reported kerosene poisoning cases from the National Poisoning Surveillance System. Cross-tabulation with chi-square tests assessed the relationships between poisoning cases and key variables such as gender, age group, and region.

A total of 460 kerosene poisoning cases were documented: 32.2% in 2019, 37.2% in 2020, and 30.6% in 2021. Saudi nationals comprised 97.6% of cases, and the male populace felt more influenced (60.9%) than females (39.1%), although the variation that was found was not proven to be statistically significant (p = 0.912). Out of all age groups, kids between the ages of 1 and 5 were the ones to be primarily affected, accounting for 87.6% of cases (p = 0.029). Most incidents occurred in residential settings (83.7%) and involved oral ingestion (91.7%, p < 0.001). Regionally, the AlQrayat Region reported the highest number of cases (53%), followed by the Northern Borders (18%) and AlJouf (15.7%), with incidents peaking during the colder months. Hospital admissions accounted for 41.3% of cases, while discharges against medical advice (DAMA) increased notably from 8.1% in 2019 to 28.4% in 2021.

Kerosene poisoning in Saudi Arabia predominantly affects young children and occurs in residential settings, with higher concentrations in northern regions during colder months. Public health interventions focusing on parental education, safe kerosene storage practices, and region-specific prevention strategies are essential to reduce the burden of kerosene poisoning and improve outcomes.