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The use of analgesics for intentional self-poisoning: Trends in U.S. poison center data

Journal Article · · Journal of Psychiatric Research
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD (United States)
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In the U.S., intentional self-poisonings with analgesics that are available without a prescription increased from 2000 to 2018. Given concerns regarding mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, we examined and compared trends in pediatric and adult intentional self-poisoning with acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen from 2016 to 2021 using the National Poison Data System (NPDS) to see if these trends have continued. We extracted annual case counts of all suspected suicide attempts from intentional poisoning, and of suspected suicide attempts resulting in major effects or death, from the NPDS for non-prescription single ingredient adult formulation acetaminophen, non-prescription single ingredient adult formulation aspirin, single ingredient formulation ibuprofen, and single ingredient formulation naproxen. We enumerated the cases by year, age, and gender. Most cases of intentional self-poisoning within the review period involved acetaminophen and ibuprofen and the 13–19-year-olds constituted the highest proportion of intentional self-poisoning cases across age groups for all four analgesics. Cases involving females predominated cases involving males by 3:1 or greater. Here, the 13–19-year-old age group also represented the largest proportion of cases that resulted in major clinical effects or deaths. An increasing trend in suicide poisoning cases with acetaminophen and ibuprofen was observed in the 6-19-years age group and this trend appeared to exacerbate from 2020 to 2021 corresponding with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0014664
OSTI ID:
2425823
Journal Information:
Journal of Psychiatric Research, Journal Name: Journal of Psychiatric Research Journal Issue: C Vol. 163; ISSN 0022-3956
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (8)

Changes in Suicidal Ingestion Among Preadolescent Children From 2000 to 2020 journal June 2022
Evaluation of Suicides Among US Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic journal July 2022
Suicide‐related over‐the‐counter analgesic exposures reported to United States poison control centers, 2000‐2018 journal July 2020
Adaptation of evidence‐based suicide prevention strategies during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic journal September 2020
Suicide risk and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic journal June 2020
Emergency Department Visits for Suspected Suicide Attempts Among Persons Aged 12–25 Years Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January 2019–May 2021 journal June 2021
Mental Health, Suicidality, and Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021 journal April 2022
Challenges in Assessing Intent to Die: Can Suicide Attempters Be Trusted? journal August 2007

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Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
Analgesics
COVID-19 pandemic
Pediatric
Poisoning
Psychiatry
Suicide