Regional Variations in Pediatric Medication Exposure: Spatial Analysis of Poison Center Utilization in Western Pennsylvania

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Clin Toxicol (Phila)
• Personal Author:
  Nguyen, Margaret B. ; Pizon, Anthony F. ; Branas, Charles C. ; Fabio, Anthony
• Description:
  Context
  
  Medication drug exposures among young children continue to rise despite current poison prevention efforts. These exposures result in increased healthcare utilization and medical costs. New tactics are needed to reduce injuries related to pediatric drug exposures.
  
  Objective
  
  We aimed to identify cluster patterns in 1) calls for pediatric medication drug exposures and 2) a subset of calls that resulted in medical evaluation referrals. We identified and evaluated population characteristics associated with cluster patterns.
  
  Methods
  
  We analyzed 26,685 pharmaceutical drug exposures involving children less than 5 years of age based on calls reported to the Pittsburgh Poison Center from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010. We performed spatial statistics to assess for clustering. We used logistic regression was used to estimate population characteristics associated with clustering.
  
  Results
  
  Spatial analysis identified 22 exposure clusters and 5 referral clusters. 65% of 89 ZIP codes in the clusters of drug exposure with HCF referral were not identified in the exposure clusters. ZIP codes in the HCF referral clusters were characterized as rural, impoverished, and with high rates of unemployment and school dropouts.
  
  Discussion
  
  Our principal findings demonstrate pediatric drug exposures do exist in discrete geographic clusters and with distinct socioeconomic characteristics.
  
  Conclusion
  
  This study offers a starting point for subsequent investigations into the geographic and social context of pediatric medication drug exposures. This is an important step in revising pediatric poison prevention strategies.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Home Age Factors Article Child, Preschool Cluster Analysis Female GIS Humans Injury Prevention Logistic Models Male Pennsylvania Poison Control Centers Poisoning Poverty Referral And Consultation Residence Characteristics Risk Factors Rural Population Socioeconomic Socioeconomic Factors Spatial Analysis Student Dropouts Time Factors Unemployment

  More +
• Source:
  Clin Toxicol (Phila). 54(1):47-52.
• Pubmed ID:
  26609895
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC5107113
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R49 CE002474/CE/NCIPC CDC HHS/United States ; UL1 TR000005/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States ; UL1TR000005/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States
• Volume:
  54
• Issue:
  1
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:8dc2d676ba603ea53319aaef5b58a1b30300fc3283735566ecb43c5849183e5b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/42728/cdc_42728_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 547.43 KB ]