A Statistical Analysis of Legal Autopsies Performed in Korea in 2014.
10.7580/kjlm.2015.39.4.99
- Author:
Jung Sik JANG
1
;
Seon Jung JANG
;
Byung Ha CHOI
;
Han Young LEE
;
Nak Eun CHUNG
;
Joong Seok SEO
Author Information
1. Medical Examiner's Office, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Korea. drjangjungsik@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Autopsy;
Cause of death;
Data interpretation, statistical;
Korea
- MeSH:
Autopsy*;
Cause of Death;
Child;
Data Interpretation, Statistical;
Drowning;
Heart Diseases;
Humans;
Korea*;
Mortality;
Poisoning;
Starvation;
Vascular Diseases
- From:Korean Journal of Legal Medicine
2015;39(4):99-108
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Medicolegal autopsies are a vital tool for obtaining reliable injury mortality data. This study statistically analyzed the data obtained from medicolegal autopsies performed in Korea in 2014. A total of 5,324 deaths were analyzed by sex, age, manner of death, and cause of death. With respect to the manner of death, 56.3% were recorded as unnatural deaths, 38.4% were natural deaths, and 5.3% had unknown causes. Of the 2,998 unnatural deaths, 41.0% were determined to be accidental deaths; 28.1%, suicidal; 16.1%, homicidal; and 14.8%, undetermined. Of the total number of unnatural deaths, 38.8% were trauma-related, wherein falls accounted for 32.7%. Asphyxiation accounted for 16.3% of unnatural deaths; of these, the predominant cause was hanging (59.4%). In addition, 15.0% of the unnatural deaths were due to drowning; 14.8%, poisoning; 11.3%, thermal injuries; 2.5%, complications arising from medical procedures; and 0.4%, electrocution, starvation, or neglect. Among the 2,042 natural deaths, heart diseases accounted for 49.0% and vascular diseases accounted for 17.3%. Of the 170 deaths among children under the age of 10, 38.8% were recorded as unnatural deaths, 54.1% were natural deaths, and 7.1% had unknown causes.
