A new study has found rising rates of reported intentional substance exposures among elementary and middle school students.
While high school-aged youth continue to experience the highest rates of serious medical outcomes and hospital admissions, researchers found a sharp increase in reported exposures among younger children. The study, published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, found rates increased 287% among elementary school-aged children and 112% among middle school-aged children.
In contrast, reported exposures among high school-aged children decreased by 4% over the study period.
“One of the most striking findings was how the age pattern changed over time,” said Hannah Hays, MD, co-author of the study and medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. “By about 2015, the reported exposure rate among middle-school-aged children had surpassed that among high-school-aged youth. At the same time, high-school-aged adolescents continued to experience the most serious medical outcomes. These findings tell us that prevention needs to begin earlier, while older adolescents also need ready access to clinical and mental health support.”
Researchers also found that the types of substances involved varied by age group:
- Elementary school (6–10 years): cosmetics/personal care products (15%), arts/crafts/office supplies (15%), plants (15%), and foreign bodies/toys/miscellaneous (14%).
- Middle school (11–13 years): cosmetics/personal care products (13%), arts/crafts/office supplies (11%), foreign bodies/toys/miscellaneous (8%), and analgesics (8%).
- High school (14–18 years): analgesics (15%), stimulants and street drugs (12%), sedative/hypnotic/antipsychotic medications (10%), and cough and cold preparations (9%).
More than 60% of intentional exposures were linked to intentional misuse, while abuse and self-harm accounted for smaller shares of cases.
Researchers said the findings highlight the need for age-specific, targeted and coordinated prevention efforts.
If you need to talk to someone, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
