Deliberate Drug poisoning of women may be increasing, study finds

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/11/8753598-drug-poisoning-of-women-may-be-increasing-study-finds

By Rita Rubin Nov. 11, 2011

The number of people showing up in hospital ERs because of intentional poisoning appeared to soar between 2008 and 2009, a new federal study has found, but researchers say the increase may be due to increased reporting by hospitals, not necessarily an actual increase in poisonings.

"That’s a pretty significant jump, and we’re not sure why,” explains researcher Peter Delany, Ph.D. Improved reporting, rather that drastic changes in behavior, could be one factor. It’s too soon to tell whether the 2008-2009 jump is the beginning of a trend, Delany says, noting that 2010 data about intentional drug poisoning are expected shortly.

Slightly more than a quarter of the patients who showed up at ERs for this type of poisoning were under age 21.

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A wide range of substances were involved in the ER visits, including pharmaceutical and illicit drugs, including "date rape" drugs such as Rohypnol

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It's unclear why the numbers jumped in 2009, although Delaney believes hospital emergency departments and the government agency are getting better at determining intentional poisonings. SAMHSA's role is to track trends and incidents of substance abuse.

However, that doesn’t explain why women are targeted disproportionately. Increased awareness of "date rape" drugs, such as Rohypnol, could be a possibility, Delany suggests.

"You have to be thinking in some cases men are giving something intentionally to women…with the intention of taking advantage of them," he says. According to the new SAMHSA report, an estimated 3 million American women have experienced drug-related rape in their lifetime.

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Intentional poisoning doesn’t necessarily mean someone is trying to kill the victim. In the report released Thursday, SAMHSA defines it as "a direct attempt to hurt someone or an attempt to render that person defenseless against other types of crime."

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the new report notes, intentional poisoning probably is underestimated. Drugs commonly used to do it may leave the body too quickly to be detected, and some people who’ve been intentionally drugged might not seek immediate medical attention. Plus, Delany says, even if they do, they might not remember how they got sick.

Delany advises women, particularly young women, to be extra careful of their surroundings. He cautions, "Do you really want to take a drink from a guy you don’t know?"

tags: date rape
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