Krenzelok E P
Pittsburgh Poison Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1995;33(6):663-7. doi: 10.3109/15563659509010625.
Poison information centers have traditionally served two major functions: the dissemination of poison information and poison prevention education. These functions facilitate the ultimate missions of the poison information centers which are to prevent accidental poisonings and to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with toxic exposures. Education must be directed at the potential and actual consumers of poison information centers services to prevent poisonings and to create awareness of how to use the poison information centers in the event of accidental or intentional poisoning. The target population can be identified from poison center statistics generated by the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System which define patient and caller demographics. Analysis of American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System for ten years was used to identify the ten most common and ten most lethal poisons. This information indicates the most appropriate topics for education. These data also provide direction regarding poison center penetrance into specific geographic regions and identifies special needs of those individuals. Poison information centers are very costly to operate and the utilization of epidemiologic data can help to direct education efforts in the most cost-effective fashion.
传统上，中毒信息中心承担着两项主要职能：传播中毒信息和开展中毒预防教育。这些职能有助于实现中毒信息中心的最终使命，即预防意外中毒，并降低与有毒物质接触相关的发病率和死亡率。教育必须面向中毒信息中心服务的潜在和实际用户，以预防中毒，并让人们了解在意外或故意中毒事件中如何利用中毒信息中心。目标人群可从美国中毒控制中心协会有毒物质暴露监测系统生成的中毒中心统计数据中确定，这些数据界定了患者和来电者的人口统计学特征。对美国中毒控制中心协会有毒物质暴露监测系统十年的数据进行分析，以确定十种最常见和十种最致命的毒物。这些信息表明了最适合开展教育的主题。这些数据还为中毒中心在特定地理区域的渗透提供了方向，并确定了这些人群的特殊需求。运营中毒信息中心成本高昂，利用流行病学数据有助于以最具成本效益的方式指导教育工作。
