Fatal suicide cases from 1991 to 2000 in Szeged, Hungary

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the fatalities due to suicide in the period of 1991–2000. The autopsy reports of 719 suicide cases during that period of the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Szeged were reviewed retrospectively. The victim's age, sex, way of commitment, place of death, the presence of alcohol and drug influence and survival time were recorded. Five hundred and one of the (69.6%) total 719 suicide fatalities were men and 218 (30.4%) were women. The largest age groups were 41–50 in men, in women we experienced a ‘double-peak’ of age groups 41–50 and 71–80. The most frequent way of committal was hanging (46%). The results revealed that 38.8% of the 474 victims whose blood and/or urine alcohol concentration measurement were carried out consumed alcohol prior to the act. The presence of licit drugs in 12% of not drug-related cases were experienced.