Assessment of Violence as Cause of Death Affecting Both Genders: Hidden View

Abstract

Background: Autopsy can lead to the cause of death most accurately in both natural as well as unnatural deaths. Aim: To determine the correlation between gender and different parameters like cause of death, region involved and manner of death seen on autopsies in government hospitals of Pakistan. Study design: Retrospective study. Methodology: Patients (n=186) were enrolled in present study held at Forensic department, Sheikh Zaid Hospital, Rahim-yar Khan-Pakistan. Cases were included irrespective of gender in present study. Data analyzed by SPSS 22.0v. Results: Males were 67.9% while females were 32.1% in present study. Among these 186 cases of autopsy, manner of death was homicidal in 83(44.6%) autopsies, accidental in 49(26.3%) and suicidal deaths was in 54(29%). There was no correlation between gender & cause of death by weapon. There was correlation between gender & manner of death. There was correlation between area & cause of death by weapon. Conclusion: This study concluded that mostly males of our population were involved in medico-legal cases and criminal activities. Major cause of death remained to be firearms. Gender was correlated with manner of death but not related with cause of death by weapon. However, government needs to play its due role in-order to stop criminal acts through law enforcement. Keywords: Autopsy, Audit, Manner of Death and Cause of Death.