Epidemiological profile and temporal trend of exogenous intoxications in children and adolescents

To describe the epidemiological profile and to analyze the trend in the incidence rate of exogenous poisoning concerning children and adolescents (0-19 years old) in the city of Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil, in the period from 2007 to 2015. Observational study with data extracted from the Notifiable Diseases Information System. The variables sex, age group, toxic agent, and circumstance were analyzed using descriptive statistics. For temporal analysis, cut-off rates of incidence/10,000 inhabitants were calculated and the inflection point regression model was used for analysis. There were 5,539 cases of exogenous intoxication in individuals aged 0-19 years in the city, of which 53.1% (n=2,944) occurred in girls and 61.5% (n=3,405) in children aged 0-9 years. Medicines consisted in the main agent responsible for intoxications (28.5%; n=1,580), mainly by accidental use (18.2%; n=1,010). There was a significant increase in the events during the study period (Average Annual Percent Change: 12.7; 95%CI 1.1-25.6; p