Death by hanging in Western Australia.
We present a review of the circumstances and medical findings of 280 fatalities due to hanging in Western Australia (WA) during the 5 yr period 1988-1992. Two hundred and forty one (241) of the cases were examined prospectively; the completed Coroner's files of a further 39 cases, from rural WA, were examined retrospectively. Most of the 280 deaths were in males (88%), and most were in the age range of 15-35 yrs (56%). Seven cases occurred in children aged 15 or less. There was one homicide, 14 cases thought to be accidental, and 261 suicides; in 4 cases the manner of death could not be determined. In one-third of the cases there was a medical history of a psychiatric condition. The majority occurred in or around the decedent's home (71%). The most commonly used ligature was a rope (59%). Alcohol was the most commonly detected drug following post mortem analysis (30%). In WA then, there is one hanging death every 6.5 days, the majority being suicides, in men of young adult age, typically occurring in or around the home.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Western Australian Centre for Pathology and Medical Research (Path Centre), Perth.
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Cooke
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Cadden
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Margolius
D000061:Accidents, Home; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide