Health care facility utilization for poisoning exposures in urban and rural populations.

A survey was performed to evaluate health care facility (HCF) usage for poisoning exposures reported to regional poison centers for rural and urban populations. There was no difference in overall percentage of patients managed in a non-HCF vs a HCF, but more patients self-referred to a HCF in rural populations vs urban populations for a poisoning exposure. This may reflect decreased awareness of the poison center by the lay public in rural populations.