ABSTRACTS
Characterization of Drug Intoxications with Suicidal Intent at the Hospital Infantil Universitario de San Jose and Hospital de San José During the COVID-19 Pandemic (March 2020–March 2022)Author: Patricia Caro Uribe | | Associate Authors: María Jiménez Castellanos, Karen Viviana Diaz Amaya
Introduction COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Beginning in March 25, 2020, strict and mandatory measures of social isolation were implemented in Colombia, affecting the daily routine of the general population. These measures may have triggered aberrant behaviors in the population that increase risk of suicide. Objective To characterize the presentation of suicidal drug intoxications during confinement at the Hospital Infantil Universitario de San José and Hospital de San José during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020–March 2022) Methods We performed a descriptive retrospective cross-sectional study in a population of two hospitals in Bogota, Colombia, with a diagnosis of suicidal drug intoxication during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnant women were excluded. Results A total of 288 patients were identified with a diagnosis of suicidal drug intoxication. Of those, 41% used multiple drugs and 23% used nonnarcotic analgesics (23%). Women represented the majority of patients with suicidal drug intoxication (77.8%), with men making up 22.2% of such cases. The pediatric group accounted for 33% of the population studied. Conclusion The most frequent method of suicide involving drugs was the polydrug combination, followed by the use of easily available drugs such as analgesics and antidepressants.
|
