Definition

Emergency Department (ED) visits for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning are the visits of New Mexico residents due to unintentional/accidental CO poisoning. These CO poisoning admissions could be fire-related, non-fire-related or of unknown cause/intent. Measures are: 1) Annual number of ED visits from CO poisoning; 2) Annual crude CO poisoning ED visit rate per 100,000 population; and 3) Annual age-adjusted CO poisoning ED Visit rate. Rates are per 100,000 population. Age-adjusted rates are calculated by the direct method to the Year 2000 US Standard population, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr47/nvs47_03.pdf, Age Standardization of Death Rates: Implementation of the Year 2000 Standard by Robert N. Anderson, Ph.D., and Harry M. Rosenberg, Ph.D., National Vital Statistics Reports From the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Volume 47, Number 3.

Numerator

The number of ED visits due to unintentional CO poisoning by county, age, and gender within a given year.

Denominator

Number of persons living in New Mexico in a given year, by county, age and gender.

Data Interpretation Issues

The data are based on the ICD codes from New Mexico Emergency Departments, 2008 - 2015; ICD9-CM codes 986 or E868.2, E868.3, E868.8, E868.9, E952.0, E952.1, E982.0, or E982.1, or ICD-10-CM codes T58.01, T58.04, T58.11, T58.14, T58.2X1, T58.2X4, T58.8X1, T58.8X4, T58.91 or T58.94 without any of the following accompanying diagnosis codes: X01-X08. ED visits are grouped as 'any-listed'. 'Any-listed' visits are all visit in which CO poisoning was one of any possible diagnoses listed in an ED information system.

Why Is This Important?

Persons visiting an ED with CO poisoning are serious poison cases. Although unintentional CO poisoning can almost always be prevented, CO is the most common cause of poisoning deaths in the United States and every year more than 20 New Mexicans die as a result of accidental or unintentional exposure to this toxic gas. Patients who survive are likely to develop long-term neurological problems. The CO poisoning ED data can be used to assess the burden of serious CO poisoning, monitor trends over time, and to inform CO exposure prevention, education, and evaluation efforts to prevent poisoning.

Other Objectives

CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking, Nationally Consistent Data and Measures (EPHT NCDM)

Data Notes

New Mexico Resident Unintentional CO Poisoning ED Visits, Crude Rates based on county population, 2008-2014

Data Notes

New Mexico Resident Unintentional Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ED Visits, 2008-2016