Deaths over 65 years of age alleged suicide

Abstract

In our study, it was aimed to obtain data on the cases’ demographic characteristics, causes of suicide, characteristics of suicides, the places where the suicides took place, and to compare the obtained data with the literature and to make recommendations for the prevention of elderly suicides by examining elderly deaths with alleged suicide. Between 2008 and 2017, crime scene investigation and corpse inspections records as well as autopsy reports of 447 cases aged 65 and over with alleged suicide that were autopsied in the Morgue Specialization Department of Forensic Medicine Institute, Izmir Group Chairmanship, were retrospectively examined. 74.9% and 25.1% of our cases were male and female, respectively. When we looked at suicide methods, it was seen that nearly half of the cases (49.7%) used the hanging method. When we look at the factors that may be the cause of suicide, physical illness was identified as the leading reason in 23.3% of the cases. It was found that 7.6% of the cases had previously attempted suicide, 12.1% of them had suicidal thoughts recently. Risk factors in elderly suicides must be determined and the whole community, especially those with the elderly individuals nearby must be informed by the government and non-governmental organizations in order to raise awareness about the suicides in this period. [Med-Science 2019; 8(4.000): 861-5]

Keywords

• elderly suicides
• forensic medicine
• autopsy