Abstract
Objectives. To find out the mortality profile vis-a-vis different epidemiological factors at the time of autopsy among the 50+-Population. Material and Method. A five-year retrospective evaluation of medicolegal records between 2006 and 2010 was done at Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi. Results. A total of 493 (17.78%) cases belonged to 50+-Population age group out of total 2773 autopsies performed. The proportion of unidentified/unknown persons among this age group was 36.51%. The unnatural and natural causes constituted 44.62% and 55.38% cases, respectively. The unspecified pneumonitis (50.18%) was reported as the commonest cause followed by coronary artery disease and respiratory tuberculosis among natural ones and the transport accident (57.27%) followed by accidental and intentional self-poisoning and exposure to noxious substances and falls among the unnatural ones. Conclusion. The findings reveal that this age group most commonly dies of natural causes rather than the unnatural ones even in autopsy cases. They have definite cure with timely interventions. The study also points out the need to devise the road and home safety measures to reduce mortality among the study population.
Highlights
As per 2011 census, 19, 20, 64,349 (50.18% males and 49.82% females) people in India were of fifty plus- (50+-) age group, which made about 15.86 percent of the total population while 39,67,805 (20,96,841 males and 18,70,964 females) and 21,773 (12,391 males and 9,382 females) persons out of total fifty plus(50+-) population used to live in National Capital Territory of Delhi and district of New Delhi, respectively [1]
Out of 493 cases, 180 (36.51%) cases were unidentified/unknown persons (HUPs) or persons without any valid home address whose identity could not be established at the time of autopsy
In this study the major factors responsible for mortality among them were found out as unspecified pneumonitis, coronary artery disease, and respiratory tuberculosis among natural causes and transport accidents, accidental and intentional self-exposure to poisoning, and falls among unnatural causes
Summary
As per 2011 census, 19, 20, 64,349 (50.18% males and 49.82% females) people in India were of fifty plus- (50+-) age group, which made about 15.86 percent of the total population while 39,67,805 (20,96,841 males and 18,70,964 females) and 21,773 (12,391 males and 9,382 females) persons out of total fifty plus(50+-) population used to live in National Capital Territory of Delhi and district of New Delhi, respectively [1]. Fifty plus(50+-) population (FPP) taken for the present study means the persons who are at or above the age of 50 years or the persons who have already spent their 50 years of lives This group includes ageing population comprised of those who are already elders (60 years or above) or those who are on the verge of inclusion into this group (50+). Government of India adopted a National Policy on Older Persons in January, 1999; the policy defines “senior citizen” or “elderly” as a person who is of age 60 years or above (60+). This age group is inclusive in the fifty plus- (50+-) population age group taken for the present study
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