Frequency and pattern of medico legal cases reported at Sandeman civil hospital Quetta Balochistan - one year study

Medicolegal cases are an integral part of medical practice that is frequently encountered by Medical Officers working in casualty department and dealing with Police/Court cases. To prevent the problem of increasing violence and criminal assault result in personal injury or death deserves a detailed examination. To present the profile of medicolegal cases reported in the Sandeman Civil Hospital Quetta, a teaching hospital of Bolan, Medical College Quetta, a tertiary care health delivery and medicolegal center for the entire city as well as its suburbs, with in the period of one year that is 2009. To highlith the vulnerable gender, age, cause [motive] and type of weapons used with seasonal frequency to assess the trend of the incidences and frequency of crime committed in different area of Quetta Balochistan with comparison to other parts of the country. Retrospective study. This study was conducted in medicolegal section of Sandeman Civil Hospital Quetta, from 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2009. 9915 medicolegal cases admitted in medicolegal registers/ record by medicolegal officers were included. Cases found non-medicolegal excluded. The variable considered were gender, age, weapon or cause of injury, inhabitant and seasonal variations in medicolegal cases. Findings were expressed in numbers and percentages. Out of these 9915 medicolegal cases males were 8636 [87.1%] and females 1279 [12.9%]. Maximum [33.46%] victims were age group of 20-29 years followed by 26.13% victims in age group of 30 - 39 years. Among this sample, the most common type of injury was Assault caused by blunt and hard object 5665 [57.13%] followed by Road traffic accidents 1945[19.61%], firearms 558 [05.62%], Urban inhabitant victims were 6143 [61.96%] and rural 3772 [38.045]. Most of cases occurred in summer than in winter. Majority of victims were young adult males, urban inhabitants, blunt and hard weapons were commonly employed in this region for assault cases. More trauma care centers with necessary facilities are suggested in remote areas so the burden on main hospital can be decreased and life of trauma patients could be saved. Proper counseling for developing positive attitude and controlling the aggression in youth have to be promoted

Pattern, incidence and mortality rate of acute poisonings at Karachi- one year study

Poisoning is a socio medical problem in almost all parts of the world. The prevalence of poisoning, types of poison and the associated morbidity and mortality varies from one country to another and even in one country it varies from one place to another and it may change over a period of time. To determine the pattern, incidence and mortality rate of acute poisoning by various agents, the types of poisoning, vulnerable age group, outcome of patients with poisoning, and to find out the most common type of poison used in Karachi in study period. Retrospective Study. This study was conducted at National Poisoning Control Center [NPCC], Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center, Karachi from 01-01- 2001 to 31-12- 2001. A total of 1472 patients of both sex and age ranged from 8 years or older reported with acute poisoning during the study period. Detailed history and examination regarding the nature of poisoning were taken. Relevant investigations for purpose of diagnosis were carried out. Other relevant information was obtained mainly by retrieving hospital records. Data was noted on predesigned proforma. Total 1472 patients were admitted with poisoning during the study period. Out of them 897 [61%] were males while 575 [39%] were females. Male female ratio was 1.5:1. Our study showed that highest number of patients 505 [34.30%] were belonged to age group 21-30 years followed by 485 [32.94%] in 15-20 years and 245 [16.64%] in 31-40 years. There were 59 poisoning related deaths among the 1472 patients, and of whom 45/59 deaths were of organophosphorous compounds poisoning. Thus present study showed a mortality rate for poisoning 59 [4%]. Acute poisoning is a significant public health problem affecting mainly young adults. Main substances responsible for acute poisoning are organophosphorous insecticides and drugs

epidemiology of homicidal deaths due to rifled firearms in Peshawar Pakistan

To determine the pattern of homicidal deaths caused by rifled weapons in Peshawar as regards the parameters of age, gender, place of occurrence and the number and location of injuries on the body. Descriptive study. The study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, from June 2005 to February 2006. The subjects were selected from victims presenting for autopsy at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. One hundred cases were selected where the weapon of offence was a rifled weapon and the manner of death was homicide on the basis of the police inquest, the autopsy and an interview with the relatives of the victim. After the autopsy, the findings were tabulated and analyzed. Homicides predominantly occurred in young males residing in a rural locality. The peak incidence was between 20-29 years in males and in females the age group most prone was 30-39 years. Male to female ratio was 6:1. The chest [33.8%] followed by the head and abdomen were the areas primarily targeted. High velocity automatic weapons are primarily being used to kill young people in rural areas. Prevention can be through strict gun control laws coupled with education and awareness

Analysis of homicidal deaths in Peshawar, Pakistan

Homicide is one of the oldest crimes in human civilization. For every person who dies as a result of homicide, many more are injured. A study of the patterns of homicide in a society is one of the first steps in developing strategies to prevent it. This study was conducted at the department of Forensic Medicine Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, to know the patterns of homicide, taking it as the first step in the prevention of this crime. This study includes 520 cases of homicide out of the total of 662 medico-legal autopsies conducted at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, during the year 2002. The cases have been labeled as homicide on the basis of autopsy and police inquest. The homicide rate for Peshawar during the period under study was 22.9/100,000. Males constituted 86.15% of the victims. 32% of the victims were in their third decade of life. Firearms were the causative agent in 86% of the cases. Chest was the primarily targeted area of the body. The highest number of homicides occurred in the month of November. The homicide rate is alarmingly high in Peshawar as is the use of firearms. This is something that should be seriously looked at by the policy makers