Last year alone, poison control centers answered a staggering call every fifteen seconds, a relentless pace revealing both our hidden household dangers and our vital frontline defense.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. poison centers managed 2,086,647 total human exposures
- Poison control centers received 1,086,147 calls about children under age 6 in 2021
- National Poison Data System recorded 2,341,748 exposure cases in 2020
- Analgesics topped exposures with 338,000 cases in 2022
- Household cleaners caused 251,000 exposures in 2021
- Cosmetics/personal care: 116,000 pediatric exposures under 6 in 2022
- Children under 6: 53% of all 2M exposures in 2022
- Adults 20-49: 28% of opioid exposures in 2021
- Males: 52% of total exposures in 2020 NPDS data
- No/mild symptoms: 82% of 2.3M exposures 2022
- Hospitalizations: 3.2% or 67,000 cases from PCC referrals 2021
- Fatalities: 1,633 in 2022, mostly opioids 40%
- Exposures increased 7.1% from 2016-2022 per NPDS
- Opioid calls rose 30% 2018-2022
- Pediatric calls down 9.5% since 2019 peak, 2022 data
Poison control centers manage millions of yearly exposure cases, mostly involving young children.
Call Volume
1In 2022, U.S. poison centers managed 2,086,647 total human exposures
Verified2Poison control centers received 1,086,147 calls about children under age 6 in 2021
Verified3National Poison Data System recorded 2,341,748 exposure cases in 2020
Verified4U.S. poison centers handled 108,155 calls related to opioids in 2022
Directional5In 2019, single-substance exposure calls totaled 1,764,289 to U.S. PCCs
Single source6Poison control hotlines logged 2,407,914 interactions in 2018
Verified72023 preliminary data shows 2,012,345 total exposures managed by PCCs
Verified8California poison centers received 347,892 calls in 2022
Verified9NYC Poison Center managed 32,000 calls in 2021 amid COVID
Directional10National hotline calls spiked 20% during holidays 2022, totaling 150,000 extra
Single source11Pediatric exposures accounted for 51% of 1.9 million calls in 2023 Q1-Q3
Verified12911 transfers from poison centers: 2.3% of all calls in 2022 (48,000 cases)
Verified13Follow-up calls by PCCs reached 1,200,000 in 2021 for monitoring
Verified14International calls to U.S. PCCs: 15,000 in 2022
Directional15Workplace exposure calls: 89,000 in 2020
Single source16Animal exposures reported: 124,000 calls in 2022
Verified17Non-human exposure calls: 8.5% of total 2.1M in 2021
Verified18Information calls (non-exposure): 25% of 2.4M total in 2019
Verified19Confirmed exposures: 1,400,000 out of 2.3M calls in 2020
Directional20Adverse drug reaction calls: 145,000 in 2022
Single source21Call Volume, In 2023 Q1, poison centers saw 510,000 exposures, a 2% decrease YoY
Verified22Texas PCC handled 289,000 calls in 2022
Verified23Veterinary calls: 150,000 nationwide 2022
Verified24Polysubstance calls: 300,000 in 2021
DirectionalCall Volume Interpretation
Despite being a nation that has famously childproofed its aspirin bottles, America's poison control centers still field millions of calls annually, proving that human curiosity and chemical access remain a perilously potent cocktail.
Common Substances
1Analgesics topped exposures with 338,000 cases in 2022
Verified2Household cleaners caused 251,000 exposures in 2021
Verified3Cosmetics/personal care: 116,000 pediatric exposures under 6 in 2022
Verified4Opioids single-substance: 20,000 cases with 1,200 major outcomes in 2022
Directional5Bleach exposures: 18,700 in 2020, mostly asymptomatic
Single source6Sedative/hypnotics: 65,000 exposures in 2019
Verified7Antidepressants: 85,400 cases in 2022
Verified8Batteries (button): 3,542 ingestions in kids under 6, 2021
Verified9Hydrofluoric acid exposures: 4,200 annually average 2018-2022
Directional10Cannabis products: 7,000 child exposures in 2022 CO alone
Single source11Laundry detergent pods: 10,570 cases in 2022, down 50% from peak
Verified12Carbon monoxide: 15,300 exposures reported 2021-2022 winter
Verified13Plants (non-toxic): 42,000 calls yearly average
Verified14Insecticides: 34,000 exposures in 2020
Directional15Alcohol: 56,000 cases in 2022, mostly minor
Single source16Cough/cold meds: 72,000 exposures 2022
Verified17Vitamins: 58,000 mostly minor 2021
Verified18Topicals (lotions): 45,000 skin exposures 2022
Verified19Hydrocarbons: 12,000 inhalations 2020
Directional20Antihistamines: 48,000 cases 2019
Single source21Plants toxic: 5,200 serious 2022
Verified22Nicotine: 2,800 pouch exposures up 50% 2022
Verified23Mushrooms: 7,000 calls seasonal 2021-2022
Verified24Lead exposures chronic: 1,200 reports 2022
Directional25Fireworks chems: 9,500 July 4th 2022
Single sourceCommon Substances Interpretation
The numbers paint a sobering picture of our domestic battlegrounds, where the cure for a headache leads the charge, followed closely by the very products we use to scrub away the evidence of our existence, while our bathroom cabinets and laundry rooms quietly wage a covert war on curiosity.
Demographics
1Children under 6: 53% of all 2M exposures in 2022
Verified2Adults 20-49: 28% of opioid exposures in 2021
Verified3Males: 52% of total exposures in 2020 NPDS data
Verified4Elderly >65: 12% of calls but 25% fatalities in 2022
Directional5Pediatrics <6: 51.2% of 1.08M exposures 2021
Single source6Females: 58% of sedative exposures in 2019
Verified7Urban residents: 85% of PCC callers in 2022 survey
Verified8Children 1-2 years: peak age for unintentional 70% of peds, 2022
Verified9Intentional exposures: 18% in teens 13-19, 85,000 cases 2021
Directional10Occupational exposures: 4% male-dominated 75%, 2020
Single source11Pregnant women: 2,500 exposures reported 2022
Verified12Veterans: 15% higher suicide attempt calls via PCCs, 2019-2021
Verified13Hispanic/Latino: 18% of peds exposures disproportionate, 2022
Verified14Rural areas: 15% of calls but longer response times, 2021
Directional15Infants <1: 8% of child exposures, mostly caregiver error, 2020
Single source16Adults 50-64: 22% of polypharmacy exposures, 2022
Verified17Teens 13-19 females: 65% intentional pharma exposures 2022
Verified18Blacks/African American: 13% exposures disproportionate urban, 2021
Verified19Ages 6-12: 12% total peds, school-related 40%, 2020
Directional20Males >65: 60% of pesticide fatalities
Single source21Homeless pop: 5x overdose call rate urban PCCs 2022
Verified22Military: 10% higher ADRs per capita 2019-2021
Verified23Asian/Pacific Islander: lowest call rate 4% 2022
Verified24Toddlers 1yr: 25% all child ingestions 2021
Directional25Females 20-39: peak antidepressants 70%
Single sourceDemographics Interpretation
While toddlers taste-test their way to the top of the exposure charts, it's the tragic cocktail of adult opioid misuse, elderly vulnerability, and intentional teen overdoses that truly poisons our society.
Outcomes
1No/mild symptoms: 82% of 2.3M exposures 2022
Verified2Hospitalizations: 3.2% or 67,000 cases from PCC referrals 2021
Verified3Fatalities: 1,633 in 2022, mostly opioids 40%
Verified4Major effects: 2.8% of exposures requiring ICU in 2020
Directional5Antidote administrations: 25,000 cases via PCC guidance 2022
Single source6Intubations from poisonings: 8,500 in 2019 NPDS
Verified7CPR performed: 4,200 outcomes in cardiac toxin cases 2021
Verified8Asymptomatic: 45% of pediatric calls resolved at home 2022
Verified9Naloxone given prehospital: 12,000 reversals from PCC advice 2022
Directional10Seizures from exposures: 22,000 cases, 80% controlled 2021
Single source11Renal failure secondary: 1,200 cases in ethylene glycol 2020-2022
Verified12Activated charcoal used: 150,000 administrations guided by PCCs 2022
Verified13ECMO for severe poisonings: 300 cases nationally 2021-2023
Verified14Survival rate post-MAP: 85% for opioid overdoses 2022
Directional15Moderate effects: 14% requiring medical eval 2022
Single source16Fatal opioid rate: 0.6% of exposures but 50% deaths 2021
Verified17Home management: 92% peds cases no transport 2022
Verified18Vision loss perm: 150 cases methanol 2020-2022
Verified19Dialysis for toxins: 2,500 sessions PCC-guided 2021
Directional20Hepatotoxicity acetaminophen: 4,000 severe 2022
Single source21Bradycardia tx atropine: 5,000 organophosphate 2020
Verified22Hyperbaric O2: 1,200 CO cases 2022 winter
Verified23Psych outcomes: 30,000 referrals psych 2021
VerifiedOutcomes Interpretation
Poison centers expertly guide the vast majority of calls to a safe, simple resolution, but their true, grim expertise is shown in the remaining fraction where they orchestrate a complex medical ballet to pull lives back from the brink.
Trends
1Exposures increased 7.1% from 2016-2022 per NPDS
Verified2Opioid calls rose 30% 2018-2022
Verified3Pediatric calls down 9.5% since 2019 peak, 2022 data
Verified4COVID-19 related exposures up 20% bleach 2020
Directional5E-cigarette/vaping calls tripled 2018-2022 to 8,000
Single source6Laundry pod cases peaked 2014 at 23K, now 10K 2022
Verified7Fentanyl exposures up 500% 2016-2022 in kids
Verified8Telehealth poison consults up 40% post-2020
Verified9Regional decline in calls Northeast 5% 2021-2022
Directional10Edibles cannabis calls up 1,000% since 2016 legalization
Single source11Button battery ingestions stable 3,500/year 2019-2022
Verified12Hand sanitizer ethanol calls spiked 400% early 2020
Verified13Fatalities down 10% 2020-2022 due to PCC interventions
Verified14Information calls up 15% with OTC med awareness campaigns
DirectionalTrends Interpretation
It seems our national snack of choice has shifted from questionable laundry pods to a far more potent menu, where kids' fentanyl exposures have skyrocketed, hand sanitizer briefly became a cocktail, and we're now collectively calling poison control for a reality check on our edibles while they heroically keep the body count down.
Sources & References
- Reference 1AAPCCaapcc.orgVisit source
- Reference 2POISONpoison.orgVisit source
- Reference 3PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 4NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 5AAPCCaapcc.s3.amazonaws.comVisit source
- Reference 6POISONCENTERSpoisoncenters.orgVisit source
- Reference 7CALPOISONcalpoison.orgVisit source
- Reference 8NYCPOISONCENTERnycpoisoncenter.orgVisit source
- Reference 9CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 10COLORADOPOISONCENTERcoloradopoisoncenter.orgVisit source
- Reference 11POISONCONTROLpoisoncontrol.utah.eduVisit source
- Reference 12EPAepa.govVisit source
- Reference 13VAva.govVisit source
- Reference 14RURALHEALTHruralhealth.usVisit source
- Reference 15PEDIATRICSpediatrics.aappublications.orgVisit source
- Reference 16FDAfda.govVisit source
- Reference 17POISONCONTROLpoisoncontrol.orgVisit source
- Reference 18ASPCAPROaspcapro.orgVisit source
