Importance of explanation before and after forensic autopsy to the bereaved family: lessons from a questionnaire study.
To investigate how bereaved families felt about the explanation received before and after forensic autopsies, the authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of the bereaved families whose next of kin underwent a forensic autopsy at the two Departments of Forensic Medicine and a few bereaved families of crime victims. Of 403 questionnaires sent, 126 families responded. Among 81.5% of the respondents who received an explanation from policemen before the autopsy, 78.8% felt that the quality of the explanation was poor or improper. In Japan, the law has restricted disclosure of information from a forensic autopsy. Despite legal restrictions, 82% wanted to hear from the person who conducted the autopsy. However, police explained the results of autopsy to 65.2% of respondents. Among the families whose frustration and anger increased after autopsy, 86.4% had not been satisfied with the explanation before the autopsy. Additionally, 57.7% had not been informed on the autopsy findings at the time of the questionnaire when more than 2 years had passed after the autopsy. These results reminded us of the importance of an explanation before and shortly after a forensic autopsy for a better understanding and acceptance by bereaved families.
Department of Health Services Management & Policy, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Takako
T
Ito
Koichi
K
Nobutomo
Tatsuya
T
Fujimiya
Ken-ichi
K
Yoshida
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy / Q000941:ethics* / Q000523:psychology; D001601:Bereavement; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016495:Police / Q000941:ethics; D011368:Professional-Family Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires