Alcoholism - the psycho-social status in relation to alcohol ingestion in
victims of suicide by hanging
Department of Forensic Medicine – IML MureșSenior Lecturer Hădărean Viorel, MD
Marinela-Radiana Faur, 6th Year Faculty of MedicineCo-Authors: Nicolae Stanciu, Bogdan Daniel Jerdea, Oana-Petronela Dîrțu
Introduction
• Suicide by hanging is one of the major causes of violent death
• Hanging associated with alcohol ingestion is one of the most common methods of suicide worldwide and has become a public health issue– Zerbini et al. - Blood alcohol levels in suicide by hanging cases in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil; J
Forensic Leg Med. 2012 Jul;19(5):294-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2012.02.022. Epub 2012 Mar 16– Azmak - Asphyxial deaths: a retrospective study and review of the literature; Am J Forensic Med
Pathol. 2006 Jun;27(2):134-44.– Kanchan et. Al - Methods of choice in completed suicides: gender differences and review of literature;
J Forensic Sci. 2009 Jul;54(4):938-42. doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01054.x. Epub 2009 Apr 17.
Objectives
• Epidemiological Profile• Evaluation of blood alcohol concentrations in
victims of suicide by hanging in the Mureș county
Material and Methods
• Cross-sectional study• 93 victims • Department’s archive– Follow-ups of similar attributes
Results – Gender Distribution
Results – AgeNumber of Patients
7,53%
11,83% 11,83%
16,13%
22,58%20,43%
9,69%
Results – Ethnicity
Results – Environment
Results – Place of Death
Results – Marital Status
Results – Psycho-Medical History
13,18%
5,38%3,23% 1,08%
ResultsCorrelation Marital Status and Psycho-Medical History
Results – Blood Alcohol Level (at time of autopsy)
2,15%
8,6%
30,10%
9,67%
49,46%
Total: 50,52%
Results – Blood Alcohol Level (at time of autopsy)
Results – Blood Alcohol Level (at time of autopsy)
Results – Blood Alcohol Level (at time of autopsy)
15,05%16,13%
1,08%
4,30%3,23%
1,08%
Results – Post-Mortem Examination
100%
69,89%
25,81%34,41%
55,91%
81,72%70,79%
54,84%
21,51%31,18%
Discussion
• Collected data was statistically analyzed, evaluated and interpreted– Demographic and epidemiological profile was
established– Blood alcohol level, demographics and psychiatric
disorders were put in correlation
Discussion
• Findings were compared to current existing literature and articles– Retrospective review of 100 consecutive, non-
decomposed cases of suicide because of hanging was conducted at Forensic Science SA, Australia. Alcohol was detected in 38 cases (38%)
(Tse et al. Alcohol ingestion and age of death in hanging suicides; J Forensic Sci. 2011 Jul;56(4):922-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01751.x. Epub 2011 Mar 21.)
Discussion
• Findings were compared to current existing literature and articles– Alcohol was detected (>0.20 g/L) in femoral blood
in 30% of hanging suicides (mean 1.39 g/L) (Jones et al. - Toxicology findings in suicides: concentrations of ethanol and other drugs in
femoral blood in victims of hanging and poisoning in relation to age and gender of the deceased; J Forensic Leg Med. 2013 Oct;20(7):842-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2013.06.027. Epub 2013 Aug 8.)
Conclusion
• Higher values for alcohol ingestion in male victims and from rural environments• Predominantly male victims (84%) committed
suicide by hanging• Depression was found to be main psychiatric
disorder in examined cases