Abstract:
Introduction and background: Hanging deaths contribute to premature
mortality locally and globally.
Aim: The study aimed to provide a profile of hanging deaths in Polokwane and
Lebowakgomo Forensic Pathology Service laboratories in the Limpopo
Province.
Method: A quantitative retrospective study was conducted using sample size of
141 hanging death victims that were selected using systematic random
sampling from hanging deaths admitted to Polokwane and Lebowakgomo
Forensic Pathology Service laboratories over a period of 2 years.
Results: The study revealed that majority of hanging deaths were adults aged
20-29. There was male predominance and majority of the victims were
unemployed. The hanging deaths victims were mostly discovered in the
morning and the peak period was over the weekend. The peak season was
summer. The post-mortem neck findings included visible ligature mark, located
above the thyroid cartilage and there were few associated injuries on the
internal neck structures. The alleged manner of death of the cases was
predominantly suicide, few of the deaths were homicide hanging deaths and no
there were no reported accidental cases.
Conclusion: The profile of hanging deaths identified was similar to that of
reviewed literature.
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