Intentional poisoning deaths in the USA are up 234% according to data from the 55 poison centers nationwide over a 15 year period

Is this more or less hype and exaggeration of is something serious going on?

Or do these numbers reflect the success and adoption of poison centers?

This seems to be a very comprehensive study.

"... “We were not surprised by the study findings,” Holstege said. “In fact, what prompted us to look at the data on a national level is the increased severity of cases we are seeing at UVA Blue Ridge Poison Center. The case for this trend is multifactorial: We have experienced a growing mental health crisis in the nation’s youth, and we are finding an increasing number of dangerous novel psychoactive substances such as synthetic opioids and designer benzodiazepines entering society.” ..."

"... So, they [researchers] reviewed more than 33.7 million poison exposures reported to the 55 poison centers in the United States between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2021. These calls included almost 8 million unintentional exposures among adults 19 and older, 3.9 million intentional adult exposures, 18.7 million unintentional pediatric exposures and more than 1.6 million intentional pediatric exposures. ..."

From the abstract:

"Introduction

Poison centers provide free expert recommendations on the treatment of a wide variety of toxicological emergencies. Prior studies have called attention to the increasing complexity of cases reported to poison centers. We aimed first, to evaluate the trends in medical outcome severity, over a 15-year period in both the adult and pediatric populations. Second, we described the most frequently reported substances associated with major effect or death.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of exposures reported to the National Poison Data System from 1 January 2007 through 31 December 2021. All closed cases, for human exposures, reported during the study period were included. We assessed trends in frequencies and rates of medical outcomes and level of care received, among the adult (age greater than 19 years) and pediatric (age 19 years and younger) populations by reason for exposure.

Results

During the study period, the number of adult unintentional exposures resulting in major effect (37.4 percent) and death (65.3 percent) increased. The number of adult intentional exposures resulting in death increased by 233.9 percent and those resulting in a major effect increased by 133.1 percent. The rates of exposures resulting in major effect and death increased among both intentional and unintentional adult exposures. The number of pediatric unintentional exposures resulting in a major effect increased by 76.6 percent and the number of pediatric intentional exposures resulting in death and major effect increased by 122.7 and 190.1 percent, respectively. Moderate, major effect, and death rates increased in pediatric unintentional exposures and moderate and major effect rates increased in pediatric intentional exposures.

Conclusions

We found a worsening severity of medical outcomes in adult and pediatric cases reported to poison centers. Poison centers are increasingly managing complex cases. Monitoring trends in which substances are associated with severe outcomes is imperative for future strategic prevention efforts."

Intentional poisoning deaths in the USA are up 234% Calls to US poison centers reporting intentional exposure resulting in deaths and serious harm to adults and children have risen significantly over a 15-year period, a new study found. Researchers say the alarming statistics warrant an examination of their root cause.

Severity of Calls to Poison Centers Increases Sharply (original press release)

Increasing severity of medical outcomes and associated substances in cases reported to United States poison centers (open access)

Figure 1. Trends is medical outcome in adult and pediatric populations by reason of exposure – United States poison centers, 2007–2021.