Tag Archives: suicide

Medico-legal and Social Aspects of Mechanic Asphyxias

Hădăreanu V.1, David Ramona Eliza2

Forensic Medicine Discipline, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Medical Biochemistry Discipline, University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Background: In the last years, in Mureş county there was ascertained a significant growth of deaths due to anoxias caused by violence.
Aim: This study is an assessment concerning the prevalence and incidence of mechanical asphyxia in Mures county over three years, from 2005 to 2007.
Methods: The study took place at the Forensic Medicine Institute, Tg. Mures, including the analysis of 1926 medico-legal necropsies, 434 cases being violent deaths caused by mechanical asphyxias like: hanging, drowning in water and asphyxia with food bolus.
Results: In the analyzed casuistry was found that there were prevalent the deaths caused by hanging (343 cases), these being followed by the drowning ones (84 cases) and then the mechanical asphyxias caused by food bolus (7 cases). Distribution by sex showed a predominance of deaths in males (352 cases) compared to females (82 cases). Depending on location, deaths in rural location were prevalent to the ones from the urban location.
Conclusions: Concerning mechanical asphyxias predominates the mechanical asphyxia by hanging, which also represents suicide method, the other 2 types of asphyxias (drowning in water and mechanical asphyxia caused by food bolus) being seldom. Death by drowning in water represents a rarer method of suicide and the accidental form is met more during the warm season. Asphyxia with food bolus is produced totally accidental in persons under alcohol influence or total edentate.

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Aspects of Suicide in Schizophrenia

Sălcudean Andreea1, Gaboș-Grecu I1,2, Buicu Gabriela2, Nireştean A1, Hădărean V2, Moica Th1, Pașca Maria1

1 Psychiatric Clinic 1, Tîrgu Mureș
2 University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tîrgu Mureș

Introduction: In the literature, autolytic risk in patients with schizophrenia was estimated at 10–40%, and up to 50% in studies that also refer to patients with schizoaffective disorders.
Purpose: To find the risk factors of suicide in this specific group of patients with schizophrenia who comitted suicide.
Material and methods: A retrospective study made on 53 patients with typical history of schizophrenia, who committed suicide in the 2000–2009 period.
Results and discussions: Of the 794 investigated suicide cases, 53 were patients with schizophrenia (6.7%), 54.7% were between 15–30 years and 66% were male. Marital status seems to play a major role in suicide genesis, 72.7% of the subjects being either unmarried, divorced, separated or widowed. Alcohol consumption was present in 26.1% of cases and smoking in 32.2% of cases.
Conclusions: Although the number of studied cases is too small to draw relevant conclusions, our study indicates that male gender, young age, unmarried status and rural origin act as risk factors for committing suicide.

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Psychological Autopsy — An Effective Method for the Positive Diagnosis of Suicide in Schizophrenia

Hădărean V2, Sălcudean Andreea1, Gaboș-Grecu I1,2, Gaboș-Grecu Marieta1,2, Buicu Gabriela2, Sălcudean D3, Stanciu Camelia4

1 Psychiatric Clinic 1, Tîrgu Mureș
2 University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tîrgu Mureș
3 Law firm, Tîrgu Mureș
4 ”Dimitrie Cantemir” University of Psychology, Tîrgu Mureș

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze suicide in schizophrenia in terms of application of psychological autopsy.
Material and methods: We studied 53 persons who committed suicide between 2000–2009. We carried a series of interviews with people close to the persons who committed suicide, to analyze the motivation behind the suicidal act. The method chosen for the interviews was empathic post-suicide listening in parallel with a questionnaire.
Results: Disorganized and paranoid types of schizophrenia have led to most victims. 22.6% of the persons who committed suicide had auditory hallucinations with imperative suiciding character.
Conclusions: Detecting suicidal motivations and their understanding plays an important role in shaping a socio-psychological or a psychopathological profile by interpreting sociological, familial parameters, with emphasis on the personal dynamics of selfdestructing behavior, adult characteristics and identification of the persons with an increased suicide risk.

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