A Cross Sectional Study on Socio-demographic Profile of Deceased Due to Suspected Poisoning Coming for Autopsy in FMT Department IGIMS, Patna, Bihar

The definition of poison has changed to its present form which is any substance which when administered, inhaled, or ingested is capable of acting deleteriously on the human body. Poisoning is represented by these four elements: Cause, subject, effect and consequence. Previously the cases of poisoning were mostly accidental but presently poisons are the commonest mode of committing suicide. Acute pesticide poisoning is one of the most common causes of intentional deaths worldwide. Objective: To assess pattern of suspected poisoning cases. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on medico legal autopsies with cause of death as suspected poisoning conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT), Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna over a period of six years (01 January, 2016 to 31 December, 2021) to study the pattern of suspected poisoning cases. Inclusion criteria: All cases of suspected poisoning deaths coming for medico legal post-mortem examination. Exclusion criteria: Decomposed bodies; Unidentified bodies. Results: During study period 146 cases of suspected poisoning were examined. Maximum number of cases 29 cases were observed in 2019. The most common age involved was 21-40 years with n=72. Males (72.6%) were affected more than females. People from urban areas were affected with n=98. Married persons (n=106) were affected more. People from middle socio-economic status were affected more with n=91. Cases were more frequently seen in summer (April-June) season with n=50. Oral route was the route of exposure in 133 cases. 80.14% of the cases were suicidal in nature. Conclusions: Public education programs about suicide are an important component of suicide prevention programs which should aim at changing the prevailing attitudes. Significant number of deaths can be prevented by providing local first-aid kits, better training of physicians, faster transportation to hospitals, and ensuring that adequate supplies of antidotes and essential hospital equipment are readily available. Data from poison information centers can help in planning methods to prevent further suicides. Keywords : Poison; Suicide; Poison information centre; Suspected poisoning; Autopsy