Dissertation committee:
Σπηλιοπούλου Χάϊδω, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή , ΕΚΠΑ
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
Ντόνα Αρτεμισία, Καθηγήτρια , Ιατρική Σχολή , ΕΚΠΑ
Παπουτσής Ιωάννης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή , ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The use of alcohol and psychoactive substances, substance abuse and substance dependence become widespread and constitutes a contemporary sociomedical problem for societies. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of alcohol or/and psychoactive substances in violent deaths (accidents, suicides, homicides) among adults. Data were collected from the archives of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens during the period 2011-2016. A total of 4511 violent death cases were included in the study of which 48.7% were positive for alcohol or/and other psychoactive substances. Particularly, 47.8% of accidents victims, 54.2% of suicides victims and 44.02% of homicides victims have used alcohol or/and other psychoactive substances. Men outmatched women and the majority of cases belonged in the 31-40 age group. The overwhelming majority of fatal accidents were road traffic accidents, followed by drowning and falls. In 35.7% of cases only alcohol was detected, of which 27.8% were accidents, 5.8% suicides and 2.1% homicides. In 97 cases only cannabis was detected, in 7 cases only cocaine, in 62 cases only benzodiazepines, in 43 cases only heroin and in 372 cases a combination of two or more substances. The use of alcohol or/and other psychoactive substances contributes significantly in road traffic and drowning fatalities in Greece. More educational campaigns about harmful effects of alcohol and other psychoactive substances use both in driving and swimming should be performed in our country.
Keywords:
Alcohol, Psychoactive substances, Forensic investigation, Violent death
