Alvydas Benošis
Abstract
The analysis of deaths due to external causes according to autopsied forensic cases in Lithuania in the period 1985-2012 was performed. We investigated 131278 cases which made up 98 % of total number of registered unnatural deaths. It was found that more than half (56.8 %) victims consumed alcohol before death. Suicides (n=35 212) and homicides (n=8 533) made up one third part (33.3 %) deaths due to external causes. The most of suicides was committed by hanging and drowning (89.0 %). It was determined that 91.7 % of homicides victims exhibited evidence of injuries due to blunt and sharp trauma. Among accidents prevailed deaths due to blunt trauma (44.8%), traffic accidents (26.0%), fall from height (14.4 %), fatal intoxication (24.6%), asphyxia (19.0%), hypothermia (7.0 %). We ascertained the decrease of unnatural deaths (mostly due to blunt trauma) since 2009. The prevalence of alcohol in all groups of victims allows to considerate alcohol consumption as the main contributing factor to unnatural deaths.
Keyword(s): alcohol consumption, mortality, external causes of death, drunkenness, murder, suicide, forensic cases.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2014.002
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