Cross-sectional Comparative Acute Poisoning in Children and Adolescents During and After COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023)

Abstract Background: The causes and demographic factors affecting children's poisoning change over time and is always a challenge for emergency department physicians. Evaluation the changes of pediatrics poisoning due to Covid19 pandemic was the purpose of this study. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the documents of all patients referred to the Taleghani Hospital in Gorgan during (April 2020–2022) and after Covid19 pandemic (April 2022–2023) due to poisoning were investigated. Demographic information, causes of poisoning was statistically analyzed. Results: In this study, 598 patients were registered in the hospital due to poisoning. The IQR age of the patients during and after pandemic were 3 (2–6) and 4 (2–14) years respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that after Covid19 pandemic, females were 1.4; [AOR = 1.43 (95% CI 1.01–2.02)], intentional poisoning were 2.09; [AOR = 2.09 (95% CI 1.35–3.25)], admission in the Emergency ward were 2.82; [AOR = 2.82 (95% CI 1.85–4.29)] and children upper 10 years old were 2.35, [AOR = 2.35 (95% CI 1.58–3.47)] more than during pandemic admitted for poisoning. During pandemic intentional intoxication in pharmacologic and illicit drugs were 17.3% and 14.4%, but after pandemic were 42% and 30.9% respectively. Conclusion: After Covid19 pandemic, the number of referral cases of children due to poisoning had increased and a significant difference was reported between intentional poisoning, the upper 10 years old age and the gender of girls and hospitalization in the emergency department. It showed that the pandemic has severely affected adolescent mental health, especially among girls.