Drowning-related fatalities during a 5-year period (2008-2012) in South-West Hungary--a retrospective study.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate all the drowning-related cases in South-West Hungary between 2008 and 2012. It is a retrospective and descriptive study of 114 drowning-related deaths during that 5-year period. The investigation includes both unintentional and intentional drowning cases. We found that the most considerable risk factor of drowning in this area of Hungary is alcohol consumption, because in more than half of the cases the victims were under the influence of alcohol. We also concluded that more than two third of the cases included males. The cause of drowning in younger victims was mostly accident. In both genders subjects aged 50-70 had the highest risk of drowning in the period investigated. Seniors frequently committed suicide by drowning. Drowning deaths occurred in all types of water, mostly in lakes, rivers, canals and other types of catchment in the vicinity of victims' homes (most commonly in wells). This study might help to understand the circumstances and the causes leading to drowning and it may draw the attention to the possible preventive interventions.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, 12 Szigeti str., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: evelin.racz@aok.pte.hu.
Evelin
E
Rácz
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, 12 Szigeti str., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: franciska.konczol@aok.pte.hu.
Franciska
F
Könczöl
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Network of Forensic Science Institutes, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Szekszárd, Hungary. Electronic address: meszarosh@iszki.hu.
Hajnalka
H
Mészáros
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Network of Forensic Science Institutes, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Kaposvár, Hungary. Electronic address: zsoltkozma67@gmail.com.
Zsolt
Z
Kozma
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, 12 Szigeti str., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: matyas.mayer@aok.pte.hu.
Mátyás
M
Mayer
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, 12 Szigeti str., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: zoltan.porpaczy@aok.pte.hu.
Zoltán
Z
Porpáczy
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, 12 Szigeti str., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: viktor.s.poor@aok.pte.hu.
Viktor S
VS
Poór
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, 12 Szigeti str., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary. Electronic address: katalin.sipos@aok.pte.hu.
Katalin
K
Sipos
D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004332:Drowning / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D060106:Lakes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content
Accident; Drowning; Forensic medicine; Hungary; Risk factors; Statistics