A descriptive analysis of unnatural deaths in the elderly population admitted to the Tygerberg Forensic Pathology Laboratory in South Africa from 2013 to 2017

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dc.contributor.advisorAfonso, Estevao Bernardoen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMostert, Lambert Jacobusen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Pathology. Division of Forensic Medicine.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-20T05:20:34Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T06:55:55Z
dc.date.available2023-01-20T05:20:34Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T06:55:55Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MMed) -- Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: The elderly population is globally increasing. Frailty and associated comorbidities make this population group prone to accidents and vulnerable to injury. Considering a high level of violent unnatural deaths in South Africa, not much research has been done on unnatural deaths in the elderly population. Objectives: The purpose of our study was to describe the causes of unnatural deaths in the elderly population. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted on all unnatural cases aged 65 years and older, admitted to Tygerberg Forensic Pathology Laboratory, serving the eastern part of Cape Town Metropolitan region. The study included 400 cases of elderly unnatural deaths from 2013 to 2017. Results: The most common cause of death in the elderly was found to be falls (29.8%), followed by transport-related injuries (20%) and procedure-related deaths (15.3%). Accidents were found to be the most common manner of unnatural death (61%), followed by suicides (10.8%) and homicides (9.5%). A significantly larger proportion of the suicide cases were male (n=37 in males; n=6 in females). Conclusions: Accidental deaths, in particular fall-related incidents, were the main cause for mortality in the study population. Further assessment regarding the circumstances of the accidents in the elderly is necessary to determine whether preventative strategies may lessen this burden in our ageing population. Procedure-related deaths were also highlighted as an area of concern requiring an integrated approach to assessment and standardisation of the classification of the manner of these deaths.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMasters
dc.format.extentvi, 37 pages
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126921
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch University
dc.subject.lcshOlder people -- Sudden death -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshDeath -- Causes -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFalls (Accidents) -- Old age -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleA descriptive analysis of unnatural deaths in the elderly population admitted to the Tygerberg Forensic Pathology Laboratory in South Africa from 2013 to 2017en_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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