Suicides, homicides, and fatal occupational accidents in Iran : a cross-sectional, retrospective study based on autopsy reports ; need to develop preventive strategies

Abstract EN

Background: There are five different kinds of death; natural death due to any disease, accidental death, suicidal death, homicidal death, and undetermined death.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the major causes of death based on the autopsied reports to aid the development of preventive strategies.

Methods: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study consisting of autopsy reports of all suicidal, homicidal and occupational deaths recorded in all forensic medicine dissection halls in thirty-two provinces of Iran from March 2011 to March 2015.

A questionnaire was designed containing all the information required for our studies such as gender, age, cause of death, and the autopsy reports.

Results: There were 19288 suicides, 11655 homicides, and 8558 occupational deaths during five years.

Among suicidal deaths, there were seventy percent male and thirty percent female.

Most victims (about 22%) were between 18 to 24 years old (Mean age ± SD: 33.1 ± 13.1 years).

The highest cases of suicide were 52% hanging, and 25% poisoning, respectively.

Among homicidal victims, there were 18% males and 20% females.

Most victims were between 25 to 29 years old (24%) (Mean age±SD: 32.4±15.6 years).

The most common methods were 46% firearms, and 29% stab wounds, respectively.

Among occupational deaths happened in 99% of males and 1% of females.

The most common victims’ age-group was 30 - 39 years old (25%) (Mean age ± SD: 35.8 ± 10.3 years).

Seventy-four percent of cases were caused by blunt trauma as a result of falling from a height.

The second common cause of death was Electrocution (21% of the cases).

Conclusions: The analysis of the causes of suicidal, homicidal, occupational deaths, can aid the development of preventive strategies to decrease the occurrence of these kinds of preventable deaths in Iran.