Indicator Profile of Poisoning Incidents

Why Is This Important?

In 2002 the age-adjusted rate of poisoning deaths (15.2 per 100,000 population) surpassed the rate of motor vehicle crash deaths (13.4 per 100,000 population) in Utah. Until this time, motor vehicle crashes have been responsible for more lives lost than any other cause of injury. As of 2008, the age-adjusted death rate from poisonings (19.2 per 100,000 population) was twice as high as it was from MVC deaths (10.2 per 100,000 population). Drugs, and in particular prescription pain medications, are responsible for many of the poisoning deaths in Utah.

Moreover, for Utahns ages 15-64, poisoning was the overall leading cause of death.

Poisoning Death Rates by Year, Utah and U.S., 1999-2008

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View Graph Values

Data Notes

Utah drug deaths are a subset of Utah poisoning deaths. The vast majority of Utah poisoning deaths are due to drug/medication consumption. Utah's poisoning death rate (19.2 per 100,000 population in 2008) exceeds the U.S. poisoning death rate (12.4 per 100,000 population in 2006). Utah experienced a slight decrease in poisoning deaths in 2008. Data are age-adjusted (2000 U.S. standard population).

Data Sources

Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health;  National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS); 

Other Views


Definition

The number of incidents (ED visits, hospitalizations, deaths) resulting from the ingestion of poison per 10,000 population (ED visits, hospitalizations) or per 100,000 (deaths). This includes unintentional poisonings, intentional poisonings, and poisonings of undetermined intent.

How We Calculated the Rates

Numerator: The number of incidents (ED visits, hospitalizations, deaths) resulting from the ingestion of poison.
Denominator: Total number of persons in the population of Utah.

Page Content Updated On 10/27/09, Published on 10/29/09
Violence and Injury Prevention Program, Bureau of Health Promotion, Division of Disease Control and Prevention, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, UT Telephone: (801) 538-6141. Email: vipp@utah.gov. Website: www.health.utah.gov/vipp
The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health's Center for Health Data IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.utah.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: "Retrieved Sun, 22 November 2009 18:04:36 from Utah Department of Health, Center for Health Data, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.utah.gov".

Content updated: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:01:00 MDT