Fatal falls from height in Taiwan
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences
Journal Volume
59
Journal Issue
4
Pages
978-982
Date Issued
2014
Author(s)
Abstract
This study conducts an investigation of fatal falls from height, examines gender differences, and compares our findings with those of Western countries. We review deaths in Taiwan caused by falls from height that underwent forensic autopsy from 1994 to 2010. Among the examined cases, 182 were suicide, 156 were accidents, and 18 were homicides. Men who fell from greater heights had a lower probability of fatal head trauma (p = 0.045), and women exhibited a lower fatal head trauma rate when falling from heights of between 10 and 25 m in accident group (p = 0.003). There was no significant difference between cases of falling from greater and lower heights within the suicide group (p = 0.834). Psychiatric illness was only reported in 20.3% and 28.8% cases in suicide and accident groups. Only in male cases was the use of psychotropic substances higher in the suicide groups than in the accident groups (p = 0.047). © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
Other Subjects
alcohol blood level; psychotropic agent; adolescent; adult; age distribution; aged; alcohol blood level; blood; falling; female; head injury; homicide; human; male; middle aged; mortality; multiple trauma; retrospective study; sex ratio; statistics and numerical data; Substance-Related Disorders; suicide; Taiwan; young adult; Accidental Falls; Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Blood Alcohol Content; Craniocerebral Trauma; Female; Homicide; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Trauma; Psychotropic Drugs; Retrospective Studies; Sex Distribution; Substance-Related Disorders; Suicide; Taiwan; Young Adult
Type
journal article