Analysis of deaths by intoxication that occurred in Brazil from 2010 to 2015 based on the mortality information system (SIM)

Abstract

Many studies analyze the epidemiological profile of deaths caused by a single toxic agent. However, broader mortality analyses can be obtained by evaluating multiple agents over the same period of time. For this purpose, a retrospective descriptive study was carried out of the deaths by intoxication registered in the Mortality Information System that occurred in Brazil from 2010 to 2015. Deaths were selected according to ICD-10 codes related to intoxication. There were 18,247 deaths and an increase of 3% of rates of mortality by intoxication during the period. The agents that caused the most deaths were pesticides (24%) followed by medication (23%) and street drugs (22%). With the exception of medication, where the female participation was 52%, there was a higher concentration of males for all agents and in most of the age groups. Only in the case of medication and pesticides was suicide the main circumstance of deaths. The results presented made it possible to define a mortality profile for each of the major toxic agents studied.