Agriculture Pesticides: Easily Available for Suicide -An Alarming Situation

Abstract

Objective: To study the clinical presentation of suicidal agriculture pesticide (organophosphate) poisoning in villagers. Study design: Observational study Place and Duration: Murk General Hospital Tando Adam from January 2013- Dec 2013. Material & Methods: Thirty five patients with a history of agriculture pesticide poisoning were studied. Villager subjects confirmed of having pesticides for suicidal purpose were included, other cases of poisoning were excluded. Age, sex, clinical signs and symptoms and type of pesticide were enquired and noted on pre-structured proforma. The data was analyzed on statistical package for social sciences 21. Results: Mean±S.D age was 23±5.6 years. Of 35 subjects, 27(77. P/) were male, with male to female ratio of 3.4:1. Suicidal agriculture pesticide poisoning was more prevalent in young male (p=0.0001). In 12 (24.2%) cases the chemical nature of agriculture pesticide was not known because of illiteracy. The chemical agents which were recognized from bottles were Chropyrifos, Meth-ylpyrifos, Propanophos, Trichlorophos and Acephate. Conclusion: Agricultural organophosphate pesticides were mostly used for suicide because of easy access. Public education in this regard is urgently required.