A descriptive study of female suicide deaths from 2005 to 2011 in Van city, Turkey.
Female suicide is an important problem not only for women but for public health in general.



Autopsy reports from the Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office from 2005 to 2011 were reviewed retrospectively in order to analyse female deaths from suicide.



Sixty-six female suicide cases were recorded during 2005-2011. The mean age of the cases was 22.64 (sd = 10.09) years, and nine were below the age of 15. The most common method of suicide was hanging (44 cases, 66.7 %). Five (7.6 %) of the cases were under treatment for depression, and 12 (18.2 %) cases had a previous suicide attempt.



Cultural suppression of females and prevention of their socialization in enclave societies are risk factors for female suicides. The number of female suicide attempts, especially recurring attempts, should be reduced via psychiatric scanning, follow-up sessions and therapy for high-risk individuals.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
Yavuz
Y
Hekimoglu
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ipek
I
Esen Melez
Department of Criminalistics, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. nergiscanturk@yahoo.com.
Nergis
N
Canturk
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
Z Zerrin
ZZ
Erkol
Manisa Branch Office, Ministry of Justice Council of Forensic Medicine, Manisa, Turkey.
Mustafa Gokhan
MG
Dizdar
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
Gurol
G
Canturk
Ministry of Justice Council of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Deniz Oguzhan
DO
Melez
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
Ziya
Z
Kir
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008393:Marriage / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology
Autopsy; Death; Forensic pathology; Forensic science; Suicide; Women