KNOWLEDGE OF POISONOUS PLANTS AND FIRST AID
Abstract
In Slovenia, poisoning from plants accounts for a small proportion of all poisonings. In young people, poisoning often occurs due to the desired hallucinogenic effect, while in older people poisoning is more likely to be caused by mistaking poisonous plants for edible ones. In cases of poisoning by a poisonous plant, rapid first aid measures and immediate professional medical assistance are crucial. The aim of this study was to determine people’s familiarity with selected poisonous plants and their knowledge of first aid measures in the event of poisoning. Data were collected through a web survey using the 1KA application and a printed version of the questionnaire. A total of 301 people participated in the study. The respondents were best able to identify lily of the valley, common ivy, black elderberry, and yew in the provided photographs. The poisoning symptoms most commonly reported by respondents were vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, digestive problems, and dizziness. The respondents were aware that first aid measures for poisoning from poisonous plants were to clean the oral cavity, induce vomiting (after consulting a doctor), take activated charcoal (after consulting a doctor), and preserve remnants of the plant. Candidates should familiarise themselves with basic first aid procedures for poisoning from poisonous plants through various first aid courses, as this topic is often overlooked.
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