TIP OF THE WEEK

June 20, 2008

Did you know...?

June 16 - 20 is Poisoning Prevention Week

Accidental poisoning deaths have more than tripled in the United States over the past 20 years, making poisoning the nation’s second-leading cause of unintentional deaths, after motor-vehicle crashes. While most people think of poisoning as a childhood issue, adults are overwhelmingly to blame for the steep recent increase in unintentional poisoning deaths. With an 80 percent increase from 2001 to 2006, poisoning is the fastest-rising cause of accidental death in the United States. This trend is driven primarily by adults (ages 20-64) of both sexes and seems to be mainly attributable to the abuse of drugs, particularly prescription painkillers.

Most affected by the dramatic rise in poisoning deaths are the baby boomers (those people born in the 1950's). And while the largest numerical increase in poisoning deaths is among non-Hispanic white men between the ages of 20 and 64, the rate of poisoning from unintentional overdoses is increasing fastest among non-Hispanic white women in the same age range.

Over the counter (OTC) medications, while still a problem, are not associated with the increase in drug-related unintentional poisonings. From 1999 to 2004, there is a very strong correlation between prescription drug sales per capita and the unintentional poisoning death rate, indicating that mortality rates are associated with prescription drug use. Taken in combination with other drugs or alcohol, all prescription or over-the-counter medications that are generally “safe” can cause death or serious long-term consequences. Common misuses of drugs that many people don’t consider include taking an over-the-counter medicine without being aware of its negative reaction with a prescription, or taking more than the recommended dosage under the false impression that “more is better.” According to the National Council on Patient Information and Education, one-third of adults in the United States have taken more than the recommended dosage of a non-prescription medication. Sometimes the misuse is a deliberate attempt to get high.

Drug-related poisonings are often due to overdose or misuse of opioid analgesics initially prescribed to treat chronic pain, such as oxycodone, methadone, hydrocodone, fentanyl and buprenorphine. With the exception of PCP, increased use of many illicit drugs is also strongly correlated with the increased number of unintentional poisoning deaths.

The need for public education concerning accidental poisoning deaths is clear. When asked to rank potential causes of poisoning in a survey conducted by the National Safety Council in 2007, 53 percent of people surveyed said household chemicals were most commonly associated with fatal poisoning while just 34 percent named drugs and medicine.

What’s more, most Americans – 81 percent – believe that children are at greatest risk for fatal poisoning, though data shows that less than one percent of poisoning deaths involve children under 6 years of age - about 30 deaths - and more than 96 percent involve adults 20 years and older - more than 20,200 deaths.

You can make a difference in avoiding unsafe use of medications. To help reduce the risk of accidental misuse of medications:

· Keep a current list of all medications being taken, including over-the-counter and herbal products

· Review the list with all of your healthcare providers

· Never take someone else’s medication

· Take all medication as prescribed and properly dispose of expired medications

· Understand what each medication is for and how it should be used, including whether it should be taken with or without food

In addition to drugs, accidental poisonings can be caused by Household Chemicals and Medicines such as inhalants, pesticides, illegal pesticides, over-the-counter and prescription medications. Environmental causes of accidental poisonings include lead poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning and dangerous plants.

If you think someone has been poisoned from a medicine or household chemical, call 1-800-222-1222 for your Poison Control Center. This national toll-free number works from anyplace in the U.S. 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.

To learn more about preventing accidental poisonings, visit the Poison Prevention web site at: http://www.poisonprevention.org/index.htm.

To learn more about National Safety Month and the most significant reasons for unintentional injuries and deaths in the American workplace, on the road and in the home and community, visit the National Safety Council's web site at: http://www.nsc.org/.

*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*

We now offer the Tip of the Week in Spanish. To view the Tip of the Week in Spanish please visit our Tip of the Week library at http://www.ohscompcare.com/totw/. Please allow a few days for the current Tip of the Week to be translated and placed in to the library.

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