Sociodemographic and Clinical Profile of Poisoning Cases in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Retrospective Study With Psychiatric Correlates

Background and objective Poisoning remains a significant public health concern in underdeveloped countries, particularly among young adults. Intentional poisoning is increasingly recognized as a manifestation of psychological distress and difficulty coping with daily stressors; however, data on the psychiatric aspects of poisoning are limited. This study aimed primarily to identify psychiatric comorbidities and psychosocial stressors associated with poisoning. Secondary objectives included describing the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical profile, types of poisoning, and clinical outcomes of affected patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Methodology This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Chennai. Medical records of patients admitted with poisoning between January 2018 and January 2023 were reviewed. Of 381 records retrieved, 36 were excluded due to incomplete data, resulting in a final sample of 345 patients. Adults aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of poisoning based on the ICD-10 coding were included. Exclusion criteria were age