Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study
Background: Globally, poisonings account for most medically-attended self-harm. Recent data on poisoning substances are lacking, but needed to inform self-harm prevention. Aim: To assess poisoning substance patterns and trends among 10-24 year olds across England from 1998-2014. Design and Setting...
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| Format: | Article |
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Royal College of General Practitioners
2018
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53011/ |
| _version_ | 1848798860261982208 |
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| author | Tyrrell, Edward G. Kendrick, Denise Sayal, Kapil Orton, Elizabeth |
| author_facet | Tyrrell, Edward G. Kendrick, Denise Sayal, Kapil Orton, Elizabeth |
| author_sort | Tyrrell, Edward G. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Globally, poisonings account for most medically-attended self-harm. Recent data on poisoning substances are lacking, but needed to inform self-harm prevention.
Aim: To assess poisoning substance patterns and trends among 10-24 year olds across England from 1998-2014.
Design and Setting: Open cohort study of 1,736,527 young people using linked Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics mortality data.
Method: Poisoning substances were identified by ICD-10 or Read codes. Incidence rates and adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) were calculated for poisoning substances by age, sex, index of multiple deprivation and year.
Results: 40,333 poisoning episodes were identified, with 58% specifying the substances involved. The most common substances were paracetamol (39.8%), alcohol (32.7%), NSAIDs (11.6%), antidepressants (10.2%) and opioids (7.6%). Poisoning rates were highest at ages 16-18 for females, 19-24 for males. Opioid poisonings increased 5-fold from 1998-2014 (females: aIRR 5.30, 95%CI 4.08-6.89; males: 5.11, 95%CI 3.37-7.76), antidepressant poisonings 3 to 4-fold (females: aIRR 3.91, 3.18-4.80, males: 2.70, 2.04-3.58), aspirin/NSAID poisonings 3-fold (females: aIRR 2.84, 2.40-3.36, males: 2.76, 2.05-3.72) and paracetamol poisonings 3-fold in females (aIRR 2.87, 2.58-3.20). Across all substances poisoning incidence was higher in more disadvantaged groups, with the strongest gradient for opioid poisonings among males (aIRR 3.46, 2.24-5.36).
Conclusion: It is important that GPs raise awareness with families of the substances young people use to self-harm, especially the common use of over-the-counter medications. Quantities of medication prescribed to young people at risk of self-harm and their families should be limited, particularly analgesics and antidepressants. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:26:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-53011 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:26:29Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Royal College of General Practitioners |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-530112020-05-04T19:44:55Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53011/ Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study Tyrrell, Edward G. Kendrick, Denise Sayal, Kapil Orton, Elizabeth Background: Globally, poisonings account for most medically-attended self-harm. Recent data on poisoning substances are lacking, but needed to inform self-harm prevention. Aim: To assess poisoning substance patterns and trends among 10-24 year olds across England from 1998-2014. Design and Setting: Open cohort study of 1,736,527 young people using linked Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics mortality data. Method: Poisoning substances were identified by ICD-10 or Read codes. Incidence rates and adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) were calculated for poisoning substances by age, sex, index of multiple deprivation and year. Results: 40,333 poisoning episodes were identified, with 58% specifying the substances involved. The most common substances were paracetamol (39.8%), alcohol (32.7%), NSAIDs (11.6%), antidepressants (10.2%) and opioids (7.6%). Poisoning rates were highest at ages 16-18 for females, 19-24 for males. Opioid poisonings increased 5-fold from 1998-2014 (females: aIRR 5.30, 95%CI 4.08-6.89; males: 5.11, 95%CI 3.37-7.76), antidepressant poisonings 3 to 4-fold (females: aIRR 3.91, 3.18-4.80, males: 2.70, 2.04-3.58), aspirin/NSAID poisonings 3-fold (females: aIRR 2.84, 2.40-3.36, males: 2.76, 2.05-3.72) and paracetamol poisonings 3-fold in females (aIRR 2.87, 2.58-3.20). Across all substances poisoning incidence was higher in more disadvantaged groups, with the strongest gradient for opioid poisonings among males (aIRR 3.46, 2.24-5.36). Conclusion: It is important that GPs raise awareness with families of the substances young people use to self-harm, especially the common use of over-the-counter medications. Quantities of medication prescribed to young people at risk of self-harm and their families should be limited, particularly analgesics and antidepressants. Royal College of General Practitioners 2018-09-11 Article PeerReviewed Tyrrell, Edward G., Kendrick, Denise, Sayal, Kapil and Orton, Elizabeth (2018) Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study. British Journal of General Practice . ISSN 1478-5242 Self-harm poisoning young people general practice https://bjgp.org/content/early/2018/09/10/bjgp18X698897 doi:10.3399/bjgp18X698897 doi:10.3399/bjgp18X698897 |
| spellingShingle | Self-harm poisoning young people general practice Tyrrell, Edward G. Kendrick, Denise Sayal, Kapil Orton, Elizabeth Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| title | Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| title_full | Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| title_short | Poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| title_sort | poisoning substances taken by young people: a population-based cohort study |
| topic | Self-harm poisoning young people general practice |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53011/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53011/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53011/ |