Medical and Social Characteristics of Toxicological Patients

Background: Acute poisoning of chemical etiology is currently a significant socio-economic and medical problem. It is a leading cause of high morbidity and premature mortality among the economically active population. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the medical and social characteristics of toxicological patients. Methods: The study was conducted on 100 patients with acute chemical poisoning treated at the Specialized Toxicology Centre in Saint Petersburg. Data were collected by copying material from medical records and conducting a survey among patients. The data were then assessed using statistical methods. Results: In the studied group of toxicological patients, the majority (62.0%) were men. Age distribution showed that most patients (62.0%) were between 20 - 40 years old. More than half (55.0%) were unemployed, and only 25.0% were married. Analysis of the patient distribution by diagnosis showed that a large proportion (44.0%) had been poisoned with drugs, 26.0% with medications, 17.0% with ethanol, 11.0% with psychotropic drugs, and 2.0% with other substances. The main causes of poisoning were drug overdose (44.0%), self-medication (26.0%), and intoxication (21.0%). One-third of the patients (33.0%) had a concomitant viral infection. Additionally, 37.0% of patients consumed alcohol more than once a week, and half of the patients (50.0%) associated drinking alcohol with relaxation and pleasure. The largest proportion of patients (56.0%) did not engage in sports or other forms of physical activity at home. Conclusions: Analysis of the medical and social characteristics of toxicological patients indicates a need for public hygiene education measures to promote social competence and cultivate a negative attitude towards harmful factors affecting health.