South Dakota Poison Annual Report 2023
2023 Report Highlights
Call Volume
In 2023, South Dakota residents called for help 7,122 times, involving 9,333 product exposures. In comparison, 2022 had 7,120 calls and 9,995 product exposures.
Exposures by Age
Poison exposures occurred across all age groups. The largest groups were adults age 20 and older and children age 0–5.
- Adults age 20+: largest exposure group
- Children age 0–5: highest pediatric exposure group
- Ages 13–19: moderate exposure volume
- Ages 6–12: lower exposure volume
- Unknown age: small number of cases
Why Children Are at Risk
Young children are naturally curious and may put substances in their mouths. Exposures can happen when medicines or household products are left within reach, such as on counters, nightstands, or in open purses. Children may also imitate adults taking medicine and may not recognize the difference between safe and unsafe products.
Route of Exposure
There were 7,265 total exposure routes reported. Ingestion was by far the most common route of exposure, followed by inhalation, dermal, ocular, bite/sting, aspiration, rectal, otic, vaginal, and other/unknown routes.
Medical Outcomes
Most exposures resulted in no effect, minor effects, or were determined to be non-toxic. A smaller number resulted in moderate, major, unrelated, potentially toxic, or confirmed nonexposure outcomes.
Top Substance Categories
Of the 9,333 substances involved in South Dakota poison exposures, the most common substance categories included:
- Analgesics
- Antidepressants
- Household products
- Alcohols
- Cardiovascular drugs
- Personal care products
- Antihistamines
- Sedatives
- Stimulants
- Dietary supplements/products
Time and Treatment
Poison exposures occurred throughout the day, with call volume generally increasing during the daytime and evening hours.
Most cases were managed outside of a health care facility:
- 55.3% managed on site or in a non-health care facility
- 43.7% managed in a health care facility
- 1% unknown treatment location
Value of Poison Control Services
For every $1 spent on poison control services, an estimated $13.39 is saved in health care costs.
About the Sanford Poison Center
The Sanford Poison Center uses volunteers in communities across South Dakota to support poison prevention and education at the local level.
The Sanford Poison Center contracts with the Hennepin Regional Poison Center to handle exposure-related calls. Pharmacists certified as Specialists in Poison Information staff the center 24/7 and are assisted by Poison Information Providers for less critical calls.
The poison center uploads data to the National Poison Data System every 8 minutes, helping provide a near real-time snapshot of poison-related call activity nationwide.
The Sanford Poison Center is designated by the South Dakota Department of Health to provide emergency poison management and poison prevention information to South Dakota residents.
Staff provide poison prevention education and materials through health fairs, safety camps, conferences, symposiums, and mail distribution.
View the full South Dakota Poison Annual Report 2023 (PDF)
Need poison help?
Emergency poison management is available to the public and health care professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at no cost.
If you suspect someone has been exposed to a poison or has questions about a possible poisoning, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
Need help accessing these materials?
Some resources on this page may be available as PDF documents. If you need these materials in an alternative or accessible format, please call Poison Help at
1-800-222-1222 or contact us—we will provide assistance.