ER Visits For Intentional Poisoning Soars, Especially Among Women

The number of people showing up in hospital ERs because of intentional poisoning has soared, a new federal study has found, with women accounting for nearly two-thirds of the cases.

The number of cases of intentional poisoning jumped from 2,609 in 2008 to 14,720 in 2009, according to the latest national data about emergency department visits. Slightly more than a quarter of the patients who showed up at ERs for this type of poisoning were under age 21.

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