High prevalence of drug intoxication in individuals aged 0 to 12 years in Brazil

Abstract

Drug intoxications are associated with the pattern of drug consumption in Brazil. In childhood, these events occur frequently and help to increase infant mortality. To control these episodes, the Brazilian Ministry of Health instituted the National System of Toxic-Pharmacological Information to assist in obtaining and understanding data on this problem. In this context, this study aims to analyze cases of drug intoxication in Brazil in patients aged 0 to 12 years, registered by the National System of Toxic-Pharmacological Information. This is an exploratory-descriptive and cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, in which secondary data from the drug intoxication record in individuals aged 0 to 12 years, available at SINITOX, during the period from 2016 to 2021, were analyzed. Of 24,438 cases of drug intoxication in individuals of both sexes, aged 0 to 12 years, were reported during the period from 2016 to 2021 in Brazil and 87.7% of cases were due to accidental intoxication. Because of this, preventive actions and health education aimed at the rational use of medicines and the reduction of impacts that the erroneous use must be necessary to favor a better and higher quality of life for the Brazilian population.