Increase Tendency Of Suicidal Hanging among Alcoholic Males In The District Of Lahore.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Alcohol intoxication is becoming one of the biggest social problem of our society. The reason is easy access, availability and euphoria. The prevalence of alcoholism is more among males in their 3rd decade of life. The triggering factors are low socioeconomic status, joblessness, diseases early death of close relatives and sudden financial loss.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine manner of death in cases of hanging and gender variation in various age groups of asphyxial deaths in the district of Lahore.
METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted in Lahore and data was collected from various sources including cases reported in Forensic Medicine Department Lahore General Hospital, Mayo Hospital, police stations and from autopsy record room. A total of 857 cases of hanging were reported during the study period of 03 years i.e. 2012-2015. After detailed scrutiny 220 cases of asphyxial deaths were selected for this study.
RESULTS: Amongst this total number of autopsies in 220 cases, the cause of death was asphyxia (7.39%). Hanging surpassed amongst all asphyxial deaths 104 which was 47.27%, ligature strangulation was next in number 64 (29.09%) and then the throttling 52 (23.64%)
Out of these 104 cases of hanging 72 were males with predominance of Male/Female ratio 2.25:1. Age group of 21-30 showed higher incidence in males than the females. The homicidal deaths were 126 (57.27%), suicidal 68 (30.91%) and un-determined were 26 (11.82%).
CONCLUSION: Hanging remains the commonest method of suicide in males especially in age group of 21-30. And ligature strangulation and throttling are used in homicide. The damage noticed above the thyroid cartilage favors death due to hanging and throttling. While the injuries present at or below the thyroid cartilage indicate ligature strangulation. If fracture of hyoid bone is found, it is a common finding in death due to strangulation.
KEY WORDS: Intoxication, Asphyxia, Hanging, Alcoholism, Ligature Strangulation, Throttling, Hyoid Bone.
References
Bawon DA. Hanging-A review. Forensic Sci. International. 1982; 20:247-49. Knight B. Forensic Pathology. 2nd ed. Amold; London, 1996. P-90.
Building Better Tomorrow http://mces.org/pages/suicide_fact_alcohol.php
Shepherd R. Simpson Forensic Medicine. 12th ed. Arnold; London. 2003. P-97.
Gordon I. Shapiro HA. Eds. Forensic Medicine. A guide to Principles. 2nd ed. Churchill Livingstone; London. 1984 P-102-118.
Parikh KC. Parikh’s Text Book of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. 7th ed. CBS Publishers India. 2006: P-3, 34-3, 57.
Awan RN. Principles and Practice of Forensic Medicine. 1st ed. M. Ishtiaq Printers; 2009.P-106-12.
Rehman IU, Aziz KK, Kaheri GQ, Bashir Z. The Fracture of Hyoid Bone in Strangulation. A review ANNALS 2000; 6(4):396-98.
Malik SA, Aziz K, Malik AR, Rana PA. Fracture of Hyoid Bone: An indicator of death in strangulation. Pakistan Postgraduate Journal 1999; 10(4):112-115.
Bashir MZ, Malik AR, Malik SA, Rana PA, Aziz K, Chaudhry MK. Pattern of Fatal Compression of the Neck. A five Year study in Lahore. ANNALS 2000; 6(4):396-98.
Srivastava AK, Gupta SMD, Tripathi CB. A study of Fatal Strangulation Cases in Varanasi (India). The Am. J of Forensic Medicine & Pathology. 1987; 8(3):220-24.
Hussain SM, Mughal MI, Din SZ, Baluch NA, Bukhari SMZ, Malik S. et al. An autopsy study of Asphyxial Deaths. Med. Forum 2008; 19(4): 27-30.
Verma SK, Lal S. Strangulation deaths during 1993-2002 in East Delhi (India). Leg. Med. Tokyo. 2006; 8(4): 1-4 Epub. 2005 Jul. 28.
Demirci S, Dogan KH, Erkol Z, Gunaydin G. Ligature Strangulation Deaths in The Province of Konya (Turkey). J Forensic Leg. Med. 2009; 16(5):248-52 EPUB 2009 Jan. 14.
Azmak D. Asphyxial Deaths. A Retrospective Study and Review of the Literature. Am. J of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. 2006; 27(2): 134-144.
Sharma BR, Harish D, Sharma A, Sharma S, Singh H. Injuries to The Neck Structures in Death due to Constriction of Neck, with a special reference to Hanging. J Forensic Leg. Medicine July 2008; 15(5):298-305 Epub 2008 March 14.
Vanezuis R. The Pathology of Neck. 1st ed. Butterworth& Co. London, 1989. P. 56-75.
