Analysis of 124 Suicide Cases in Wuhua District in Kunming / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyze the relationship between the suicide method and the sex, age, education background and cause of suicide to provide reference for the forensic identification of suicide.@*METHODS@#After scene investigation, external body examination, autopsy and case investigation, 124 identified suicide cases which happened in recent three years in Wuhua district in Kunming were collected. Analytical methods as chi-square test and descriptive statistics were performed by SPSS 22.0.@*RESULTS@#In all the suicide cases, male to female ratio was 1.53∶1. The suicide methods were mainly fatal fall, hanging and drowning. The ratio of local to non-native residents was 1∶1. The suicide rate in the people with primary school or junior middle school education level was highest. The group of >10-50 years tended to choose fatal fall suicide and people over 60 years were more likely to choose hanging. People with different academic background tended to choose fatal fall suicide. The suicide methods as fatal fall and hanging were chosen because of mental and physical diseases and economic problems, while the suicides with emotional problems were more likely to choose fatal fall and poisoning.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Suicide belongs to a kind of complex cases. For the cases of suspected suicide, complete exploration and overall consideration should be done to determine the nature of cases based on comprehensive analysis of all the influence factors.

A retrospective analysis of 105 drowning victims with psychiatric disorders / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the features of drowning victims with psychiatric disorders to support further investigation on such cases.@*METHODS@#One hundred and five archives of drowning victims with psychiatric disorders from January 2010 to June 2014 in Harbor Public Security Subbureau, Shanghai Public Security Bureau were reviewed. The decedents' general information, autopsy findings, case investigation data and disease histories were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Of the 105 cases, 104 were suicides. Most decedents were poorly educated. Most suicides occurred in warm climate, and the corpses were usually found within 2 days. Most decedents had no suicide history and notes, but had abnormal mental or behavior changes before suicide. Depression, depression status and schizophrenia were the main types of psychiatric disorders, and only 9 decedents had received regular therapies before their deaths.@*CONCLUSION@#Mental disorder is a high risk factor in the drowning victims. Guardians should be aware of psychotic abnormal behaviors, especially during warm climate seasons.