Victims' response to snakebite and socio-epidemiological factors of 1018 snakebites in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.

Background: Although snake bite remains a major health problem in Sri Lanka, there is a dearth of baseline information that would be useful in education about and prevention of snakebite.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral responses, treatment seeking, and prehospital interventions of snakebite victims in an area with high snakebite burden.

Methods: This prospective study was based on a cohort of snakebite victims presented to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital over a 1-year period from January 2010.