Unit:
Faculty of MedicineLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Nikitopoulou Theodora
Dissertation committee:
Σπηλιοπούλου Χάιδω, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Στεφανίδου - Λουτσίδου Μαρία, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπουσα
Αθανασέλης Σωτήριος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Παπαδόδημα Σταυρούλα, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Γούτας Νικόλαος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Βλαχοδημητρόπουλος Δημήτριος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Παπουτσής Ιωάννης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Διερεύνηση των αιτιών βίαιου θανάτου στην Τρίτη ηλικία
Translated title:
Investigation of violent death among elderly people
Summary:
Introduction: According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimations, approximately 6 million people lose their lives every year due to some kind of injury, while one-third of these incidents are due to violent actions. Violent deaths include accidents, suicides as well as homicides. Elderly people seem to be at greater risk due to their special characteristics as a vulnerable social group.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate violent deaths (accidents, suicides and homicides) among elderly people.
Methods: The recorded variables included autopsy findings, toxicological examination results, demographic data (gender, age and marital status) and medical history of victim, were collected from the archives of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, during the period 2011 – 2015.
Results: A total of 546 violent deaths among people over 65 years old were included in this study. The findings of the study showed that most of the victims were male (63.74%). The overwhelming majority of violent deaths (425 cases) were accidents, 92 cases suicides, and the remaining 29 cases homicides. Drowning was the leading cause of all accidental deaths, followed by road traffic accidents. Hangings prevailed among violent suicide methods and asphyxiation presented as a predominant homicide method.
Conclusions: It is necessary to achieve policies that will enable elderly people to live in an environment that enhances their potential, promotes their independence, and provides them with appropriate support and care as they age. The establishment of these strategies will possibly help the decrease of morbidity and mortality in the case of preventable deaths in people of the third age.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Autopsy, Death, Elderly, Greece, Violent
Number of references:
170
