Selçuk ÇETİN, Erol BADUROĞLU, Ertuğrul GÖK, Recep FEDAKAR, Bedirhan Sezer ÖNER

Medicolegal evaluation of geriatric deaths in Bursa, Turkey

Aim: Differentiation of natural and forced deaths observed in this age group is very important in the forensic medicine practice. According to the address based population registration system, population rate of 65 years and older has been 9.5% of the total population in 2020. In the present study, we aimed to medicolegal evaluation of demographic data and autopsy findings of judicial geriatric deaths in Bursa and around.Material and Method: Autopsy reports of the cases who have been taken to Morgue Specialization Office of Council of Forensic Medicine Institution and at 65 years and over, crime scene and deceased examination reports and data in the prosecution documents were assessed retrospectively between 2003-2008 in our study. Results: During 6-year period, totally 5155 autopsies have been investigated in Morg Specialization Office of Bursa Council of Forensic Medicine Institution. Among such cases, 870 (16.8%) were 65 years old and older. Cases who were 65 years old and older included 640 (73.6%) were male, 230 (26.4%) were female. In terms of death origin, 434 (49.9%) were natural deaths, 267 (30.7%) were accidents, 102 (11.7%) were suicides and 52 (6%) were homicides. Origin of death of the remaining 15 (1.7%) could not be detected. According to the information obtained from the statements of the witnesses in crime scene investigation and dead body examination reports, a previous disease existed in 336 (38.6%) cases before death. Diseases which have been existing before death includes cardiac diseases, hypertension, central nervous system pathologies, diabetes mellitus, respiratory system pathologies, undefined psychiatric disorders, gastrointestinal system pathologies and malignancies, respectively to frequency.Conclusion: In line with prolongation of life expectancy and increase in the geriatric population, it is observed according to our outcomes that an increase is detected in judicial geriatric death cases due to neuropsychiatric disease, leading a solitary life and psychomotor imbalance.

Keywords:

Forensic autopsy, death, elderly,

PDF

___

WHO (World Health Organization), 1998. World Health Report 1998: the life in the 21st century, a vision for all. Geneva, Switzerland. Access: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/42065.
2020 Results of Address Based Population Registration System (ABPRS). Access: https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=The-Results-of-Address-Based-Population-Registration-System - 2020-37210&dil= 2. Access date: 17.11.2022.
Collins KA, Presnell SE. Elder homicide: a 20-year study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2006; 27: 183-7.
Collins KA. Elder maltreatment: a review. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2006; 130: 1290-6.
Hilal A, Akcan R, Eren A, Turhan A, Arslan M. Forensic geriatric deaths in Adana, Turkey. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2010; 50: 9-12.
Lachs MS, Williams CS, O'Brien S, et al. ED use by older victims of family violence. Ann Emerg Med 1997; 30: 448-54.
Kossberg JI, Nahmiosh D. Characteristics of victims and perpetrators and milieus of abuse and neglect. In: Baumhover L.A. andBeal, S.C. Ed. Abuse and neglect and exploitation of older persons: Strategies for assessment and intervention, Health Professions Press, Baltimore, 1996.
Ince H, Aliustaoglu S, Yazici Y, Ince N. Elderly deaths and features with overview of forensic medicine in Istanbul. J Ist Faculty Med 2007; 70: 34-8.
Canturk N, Canturk G, Ozdes T, Dagalp R. Autopsies of elderly people performed between 2004 and 2006 in Ankara. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2009; 12: 165-70.
Turkoglu A, Tokdemir M, Bork T, Tuncez FT. Forensic autopsies of geriatric deaths conducted in Elazıg. Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2014; 17: 361-5.
Shokrani B, Fidelia-Lambert MN. Geriatric autopsy findings in the last 10 years: an Urban Teaching Hospital experience. J Natl Med Assoc 2005; 97: 390-3.
Uzun I, Buyuk Y, Gurpinar K. Suicidal hanging: fatalities in Istanbul retrospective Analysis of 761 autopsy cases. J Forensic Leg Med 2007;14: 406-9.
Berzlanovich AM, Missliwetz J, Sim E, et al. Unexpected out-of-hospital deaths in persons aged 85 years or older: an autopsy study of 1886 patients. Am J Med 2003; 114: 365-9.
Akar T, Karapirli M, Akcan R et al. Elderly deaths in Ankara, Turkey. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2014; 59: 398-402.
Instituto Nacional de Estatística. Nos próximos vinte e cinco anos o número de idosos poderá mais do que duplicar o número de jovens, www.ine.pt. Access date: 17.11.2022.
Timur O, Tasar Tosun P, Ulusoy MG, et al. Autopsies in the elderly: Erzurum study. J Forensic Leg Med 2017; 52: 143-7.
Coelho L, Ribeiro T, Dias R, Santos A, Magalhães T. Elder homicide in the north of Portugal. J Forensic Leg Med 2010; 17: 383-7.