Australian Poisoning Surveillance Initiative (APSI) Databank

Abstract

The APSI Databank is a de-identified dataset derived from calls logged by poisons specialists working at Australian Poisons Information Centres (PICs) during routine clinical operations. This includes data on calls from the public and healthcare professionals in all Australian states and territories. PICs are called about exposures and queries regarding medicines, chemicals, plants, bites/stings. Exposures include accidental poisonings, dosing errors, self-harm, recreational substance use, and occupational exposures. Variables include basic demographics (age, sex), exposure details (substance, dose, time, intent), details of clinical features and advice provided (including handling/disposition). PIC data are particularly valuable due to: (i) the ability to capture instances of poisoning that are not in other data sources (e.g. those not requiring hospital admission), (ii) detailed nature of substance coding, including substance-level information of specific agents in the exposure event (much more detailed than ICD-10 coding which is used for hospital data), and (iii) timely data: data are coded in real-time at the time of the call to PIC. Limitations of the dataset include the fact that PICs don't routinely capture outcome data, and the fact that not all poisoning exposures result in a call to a PIC.

Initially, data from the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre (NSWPIC) will be available. NSWPIC takes approximately 50% of the nation's poisoning calls, including a sample of calls from all Australian states and territories. Incorporation of other PIC's data into APSI is anticipated in 2025.