TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2001//
TI  - Characteristic features of suicidal drownings: a 20-year study
JO  - American journal of forensic medicine and pathology
A1  - Byard, Roger W.
A1  - Houldsworth, G.
A1  - James, R. A.
A1  - Gilbert, John D.
SP  - 134
EP  - 138
VL  - 22
IS  - 2
N2  - A retrospective study of cases of drowning suicide was undertaken at the Forensic Science Centre in Adelaide, South Australia for the period April 1980 to March 2000. A total of 123 cases were found, with 76 males (age, 16-88 years; average, 50.5 years; standard deviation [SD], 20.1 years) and 47 females (age, 34-88 years; average, 60.6 years; SD, 13.9 years). There were 66 fresh water drownings and 57 saltwater drownings. Female victims were significantly older than male victims for both fresh water and saltwater drownings (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). Deaths in young women were rare. No temporal trend in drowning suicides could be shown, with annual numbers varying from 0 to 12 cases (average, 6.15; median, 7). Women preferentially chose the ocean or bath to drown themselves in, whereas males chose rivers, ditches, and lakes. Swimming pools were rarely used for suicide in this population; alcohol use was not usual; and there was often a significant history of mental illness.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0195-7910
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -