Injuries and poisonings associated with methamphetamine use: Sentinel surveillance, the electronic canadian hospitals injury reporting and prevention program (eCHIRPP), 2011-2019

Abstract

Information from emergency department (ED) visits for methamphetamine-related injuries and poisonings between 1 April 2011 and 9 August 2019 were captured from 19 sentinel sites across Canada for all ages. Overall, 1093 cases (97.6/100 000 eCHIRPP cases) were identified (59.4% male), with female patients experiencing more poisonings (71% vs 57.4% for males). Unintentional injuries and poisoning accounted for 14.8% of ED presentations. Self-harm (while or as a result of consuming methamphetamine) accounted for 11.4% of cases. The circumstances surrounding injuries and poisonings associated with methamphetamine are varied and include self-harm, fall-related brain injuries, mental illness, criminal activity and other circumstances. These domains should be taken into account when developing mitigation strategies.