Epidemiology of Poisoning due to Agricultural Pesticides in Patients Referred to Ardabil City Hospitals, 2012

Increasing population growth increases the demand for agricultural products and food. Nowadays، number of accidental or intentional poisoning among pesticide users is high due to lack of adequate familiarity with agricultural pest control and pesticide storage principles. The aim of this study was epidemiologic evaluation of poisoning due to pesticides in patients referred to Ardabil city hospitals in 2011. This descriptive study has been conducted on 245 patients hospitalized in Ardabil city hospitals. Information on age، gender، residence place، job، marriage status، pesticide type، cause of poisoning، poisoning season، mental and physical diseases history، and clinical symptoms was collected through a checklist and analyzed by descriptive statistical methods such as table، graph and mean±SD using SPSS. 16. 162 patients (66. 1%) were female with the rest being male. The mean age of cases was 30. 52 years and the most prevalent age group was 20-30 years with 89 cases (36. 3%). The highest number of patients was admitted in summer season with 112 cases (39. 7%) and the poisoning in 91 cases (77. 95%) was intentional. 29. 4، 42، 51. 8، 86. 9، 29، and 7. 8% of cases were admitted with respiratory، neurological، ocular، gastrointestinal، cardiovascular، and renal symptoms. Aluminium phosphide with 86 cases (35. 1%) was the dominant type of pesticide. Regarding to pesticide poisoning mortality، financial burden، and morality; it is necessary to take educational measures to protect people against poisoning.