Community based estimation of extent and determinants of cost of injuries in a north Indian city.

Background and Objectives: Very few community based studies on the economic impact of injuries are available from India. Being based on secondary data sources these underestimate the true burden. Current study aimed to ascertain the incidence and economic impact of injuries in an Indian city. Materials and Methods: Details of injury events during the reference period were elicited in the study population through a community based survey in 2008. The severity of injury was categorized on the basis of need and duration of hospitalization. Direct and productivity costs were assessed for each event of injury. Results: Out of 230 households contacted 212 participated in the study. Overall, 985 people were interviewed. The overall incidence of injury was 48.73/1000 population, Road traffic injuries (RTIs) were the leading cause (35%) of injury, followed by the falls (17%), contact with hot substances (13%), inanimate mechanical force (13%), animate mechanical force (8%), assault (8%) and others (6%). The ratio of fatal: severe non-fatal: mild injuries were 1:14:33. The total direct cost (DC) incurred was Rs. 310,951.67, contributed by medical (44%), surgical (21%), legal (15%), cost of informal care (10%). The total productivity cost of injuries was Rs. 416,700, contributed by mortality cost of Rs. 336, 000 (81%) and morbidity cost of Rs. 807,00 (19%). Conclusions: For every case of fatal injury, there were 14 cases of severe hospitalized injuries and 33 cases of mild injuries. RTIs were the commonest. Injuries had sizeable direct and indirect cost on the society.

Custodial deaths: An overview of the prevailing healthcare scenario.

Preventing torture in custody and ensuring strict compliance of its guidelines in custodial deaths is one of the important agenda on the NHRC’s list. Sudden and unexpected death in custody is commonly associated with allegations of torture against law enforcement agencies. Delay in providing basic medical care is one of the commonest allegations by the relatives against jail authorities. In this study we analysed the pattern of custodial deaths that had been brought to the mortuary at PGIMER, Chandigarh for medico legal autopsy and have suggested few preventive measures to reduce the morbidity as well as mortality among prisoners. Ninety custodial deaths that occurred while undergoing treatment in PGIMER, Chandigarh in the last decade were analysed, based on various factors such as age, sex, treatment protocol, etc. Of these, 95% were males and 5% were females; Sixty three percent cases were reported from the Punjab zone, 27% from Haryana, 7% from Chandigarh, 2% from Uttar Pradesh and 1% from Himachal Pradesh. Eighty nine percent deaths were attributed to natural causes, while 11% cases were due to unnatural causes, mostly suicides.

Aluminium phosphide fatalities: A 24 years experience.

A 24 years autopsy study (1982-2006) of acute poisoning deaths owing to aluminium phosphide from a tertiary care hospital of Northern India (Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh revealed that mortality due to acute poisoning constitued 12.6% of the total unnatural fatalities and out of which 51.3% were because of this fumigant insecticide. The first victim reported in 1982 and its proportion, which was 20% in years 1982 to 86, increased to 73% between the years 1994-98 and then decreased to 49% of the total acute poisoning fatalities in 2002-06. Peak incidence was observed in the age group of 21-25 years (31%) and least in the age group of beyond 65 years (3%). The proportion of suicidal deaths increased from 20% to 54% between these periods. Sales workers / businessmen (15%), office workers (10.7%) followed by student (10.4%), among the males and domestic workers (23%), students (10.4%) in females were the main victims of suicidal poisoning. 53% male victims were married where as 59.4% female victims were unmarried. 52.4% were from the urban areas.

Polynomial regression model to estimate time since death in adults from rectal temperature in Chandigarh zone of Northwest India.

Estimation of time since death from rectal cooling with the help of polynomial regression model is the subject of discussion in the present study. Though in literature various models are available but their complex modeling structure and calculation, restricted their application for real life situations, particularly in climatic conditions where the room temperature varies between 60.33o to 91.97 o F like of Chandigarh zone of India. The present study is an attempt to provide a suitable model for estimation of time since death in such conditions. Nonetheless, with the help of polynomial regression model, time since death can be estimated with SE estimate of 0.12947 hours and 0.410277 hours in summer and winter respectively. Moreover, this model has produced smaller confidence and prediction intervals.

Double logarithmic, linear relationship between postmortem vitreous sodium/potassium electrolytes concentration ratio and time since death in subjects of Chandigarh zone of Northwest India.

Present authors had recently demonstrated a highly significant double logarithmic linear relationship between time since death and serum sodium/potassium concentration ratio and also with the serum chloride concentration in humans. Consecutively the present study was carried out to substantiate this disposition in vitreous humour. The data on postmortem vitreous sodium/potassium electrolytes concentration ratio in 1026 subjects, revealed a highly significant relationship between logarithm of vitreous sodium/potassium electrolytes concentration ratio and logarithm of time since death upto 66 hrs. of death. Postmortem interval can be predicted from vitreous sodium/potassium electrolytes concentration ratio with standard error of estimate 0.1800 hrs. However, factors like environmental temperature, age & gender also influences it significantly.

Color blindness: forensic perspective.

Color vision deficiency is a condition in which certain colors can not be distinguished, and is most commonly due to an inherited condition. Being color blind does keep one from performing certain jobs and makes other difficult. Compared to persons with normal color vision, they have some trouble differentiating between certain colors, but the severity of the color deficiency is variable. Color blindness is normally diagnosed through clinical testing- Ishihara color test is one of the most common tests used. It is mainly useful for quick screening. From a practical stand point though, many protanomalous and deteranomalous people breeze through life with very little difficulty doing tasks that require normal color vision but in some professions a normal color vision is a necessary requisite. This article focuses on the forensic perspective of abnormal color vision and future research and guidelines for assessing an individual for colour vision.

Weights of human organs at autopsy in Chandigarh zone of north-west India.

Mean organ weights in 2025 subjects who died and autopsied at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh revealed that they in general were heavier than reported from other parts of India. Various organs continued to attain their maximum weight up to 40-50 years of age.

Recent advances in lie detection.

Lie detection techniques are utilized by investigating agencies in a wide variety of fields, such as Defence, Secret Services, Terrorism, as the veracity of statements cannot be taken at face value.