Aboriginal Injury-related Hospitalisation 1991/92 - Poisoning
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Poisoning
- Definition of poisoning
- Poisoning hospitalisations are divided into two
subsets of ICD9 External Causes codes, E850-E858 (poisoning by pharmaceuticals)
and E-codes 860-E869 (poisoning by other substances). Figures presented in this
section are based only on unintentional cases.
Table 14: Summary indicators of unintentional poisoning hospitalisations
in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia (except NT), 1991/92.
| Summary indicator |
Males |
Females |
Persons |
| Pharmaceutical poisoning |
| Number of cases |
159 |
223 |
382 |
| Crude rate (per 100,000) |
142 |
196 |
169 |
| Age-adjusted rate (per 100,000) |
119 |
182 |
152 |
| Non-pharmaceutical poisoning |
| Number of cases |
89 |
52 |
141 |
| Crude rate (per 100,000) |
80 |
46 |
62 |
| Age-adjusted rate (per 100,000) |
53 |
36 |
44 |
| Total unintentional poisoning |
| Number of cases |
248 |
275 |
523 |
| Crude rate (per 100,000) |
222 |
242 |
232 |
| Age-adjusted rate (per 100,000) |
172 |
218 |
196 |
The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hospitalisations as a
result of poisoning by pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals in children and
adults is presented in Figure 14.
Figure 14: Proportion of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical poisoning
hospitalisations in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia
(except NT), 1991/92.
- Amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, those aged 0 to 4
have the highest rates of hospitalisation due to poisoning by pharmaceuticals
(271 per 100,000) and non-pharmaceuticals (206 per 100,000).
- Tranquillisers and petroleum products are common agents of poisoning in
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0 to 4.
- Gender-specific rates of pharmaceutical poisoning hospitalisations had
similar patterns, but female rates were noticeably higher than male rates over
the ages 15 to 44.
- For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, the rate of
hospitalisation from poisoning by pharmaceuticals is highest at ages 20 to 34
in females (326 per 100,000), and at ages 20 to 39 in males (186 per 100,000).
- The main agents causing poisoning in adults are tranquillisers and
non-opiate analgesics/antipyretics.
Table 15: Summary indicators of unintentional poisoning hospitalisations
in non-Aboriginal populations, Australia (except NT), 1991/92.
| Summary indicator |
Males |
Females |
Persons |
| Pharmaceutical poisoning |
| Number of cases |
5,766 |
7,292 |
13,058 |
| Crude rate (per 100,000) |
68 |
86 |
77 |
| Age-adjusted rate (per 100,000) |
68 |
87 |
77 |
| Non-pharmaceutical poisoning |
| Number of cases |
2,232 |
1,428 |
3,660 |
| Crude rate (per 100,000) |
26 |
17 |
22 |
| Age-adjusted rate (per 100,000) |
26 |
17 |
22 |
| Total unintentional poisoning |
| Number of cases |
7,998 |
8,720 |
16,718 |
| Crude rate (per 100,000) |
95 |
103 |
99 |
| Age-adjusted rate (per 100,000) |
95 |
104 |
99 |
The proportion of non-Aboriginal hospitalisations as a result of poisoning by
pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals in children and adults is presented in
Figure 15.
Figure 15: Proportion of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical poisoning
hospitalisations in non-Aboriginal populations, Australia (except NT), 1991/92.
When compared to non-Aboriginal populations, the rates of
hospitalisation from poisoning by pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals in
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are higher across most age groups
(Figure 16 and Figure 17).
Figure 16: Rate of pharmaceutical poisoning hospitalisations in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal populations, by age,
Australia (except NT), 1991/92.
Figure 17: Rate of non-pharmaceutical poisoning hospitalisations in Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal populations, by age,
Australia (except NT), 1991/92.
Age-adjusted rates (hospitalisations per 100,000 population) of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples pharmaceutical poisoning (152) were twice those
of the non-Aboriginal population (77).
Age-adjusted rates (hospitalisations per 100,000 population) of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples non-pharmaceutical poisoning (44) were twice
those of the non-Aboriginal population (22).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a two-fold higher
rate of hospitalisation from poisoning by pharmaceuticals and
non-pharmaceuticals than non-Aboriginal populations. Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander children aged 0 to 4 are at high risk of hospitalisation due to
poisoning injury from both groups of substances.
Rates of poisoning by pharmaceuticals are high in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander adults over a broad age range of 15 to 44 years. Over these ages,
female rates are higher than male rates.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rates of hospitalisation for poisoning
injury by non-pharmaceuticals are noticeably higher than non-Aboriginal rates
across most age groups; the highest hospitalisation rate occurred at ages 0 to
4.
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