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This survey study was aimed to make a basic information about the general tendency of acute poisoning in Korea including both urban and rural areas. Data collection was conducted by mailing the survey format to randomly selected community and teaching hospitals which have emergency rooms. The survey format was designed to collect the available informations pertaining to poisoning from patients charts during the period from June to September 1986. All data were pooled in the categories of sex, age, poisoning substance, motive, and poisoning route etc, and also, regional differences on poisoning tendency were sought. On sex analysis, females occupied 51.9%, and males 48.1% of total cases showing no significant difference. On age analysis, 83% of cases happened to adults and 16.9% to children under the age of 19. In children, most of poisoning were from accidents, while, in adults, most of cases were from suicidal attempts Regarding poisoning substances, agricultural chemicals occupied 23.8%, bites 22.1%, and medicine 17.7% of total cases showing the seasonal characteristics. Regarding regional differences of poisoning tendency, urban areas (large cities) showed more medical poisonings, while rural areas showed more agricultural poisonings. Mortality from poisoning was higher in rural areas than in urban areas.
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