Forging a poison prevention and control system / Committee on Poison Prevention and Control, Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Institute of Medicine (U.S.). Committee on Poison Prevention and Control.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Poisons--Safety measures--Government policy--United States.

Poisons.

Poison control centers--Government policy--United States.

Poison control centers.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (368 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Poison prevention and control system

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : National Academies Press, c2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Poisoning is a far more serious health problem in the U.S. than has generally been recognized. It is estimated that more than 4 million poisoning episodes occur annually, with approximately 300,000 cases leading to hospitalization. The field of poison prevention provides some of the most celebrated examples of successful public health interventions, yet surprisingly the current poison control oesystem is little more than a loose network of poison control centers, poorly integrated into the larger spheres of public health. To increase their effectiveness, efforts to reduce poisoning need to be linked to a national agenda for public health promotion and injury prevention. Forging a Poison Prevention and Control System recommends a future poison control system with a strong public health infrastructure, a national system of regional poison control centers, federal funding to support core poison control activities, and a national poison information system to track major poisoning epidemics and possible acts of bioterrorism. This framework provides a complete oesystem that could offer the best poison prevention and patient care services to meet the needs of the nation in the 21st century.

Contents:

Toward a poison prevention and control system

Current status and opportunities

Magnitude of the problem

Historical context of poison control

Poison center activities, personnel, and quality assurance

Current costs, funding, and organizational structures

Data and surveillance

Prevention and public education

A public health system for poison prevention and control

Conclusions and recommendations.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 318-328) and index.

ISBN:

9786610176175

9780309166201

0309166209

9781280176173

1280176172

9780309531610

0309531616

OCLC:

923269159