Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study
Abstract Background Mortality rates and causes of death of the detainees are hence different from those of the general population and there also vary according to regions and countries. Aims To study the peculiarities of death among individuals detained in the region of Sousse in Tunisia and to sugg...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-018-0044-z |
| _version_ | 1811193391344517120 |
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| author | Maher Jedidi Mohamed Chérif El khal Souheil Mlayeh Mohamed Mahjoub Zied Mezgar Tasnim Masmoudi Mohamed Ben Dhiab Majed Zemni Mohamed Kamel Souguir |
| author_facet | Maher Jedidi Mohamed Chérif El khal Souheil Mlayeh Mohamed Mahjoub Zied Mezgar Tasnim Masmoudi Mohamed Ben Dhiab Majed Zemni Mohamed Kamel Souguir |
| author_sort | Maher Jedidi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Mortality rates and causes of death of the detainees are hence different from those of the general population and there also vary according to regions and countries. Aims To study the peculiarities of death among individuals detained in the region of Sousse in Tunisia and to suggest preventive measures. Material and methods This is a descriptive retrospective study of all deaths in detention collated in the Forensic Medicine department of Farhat Hached teaching hospital in Sousse, Tunisia during a 10-year period 2006 to 2015. Results 26 deaths were collected. All the victims were males. The mean age was 39.5 years. The deaths occurred inside the prison in 42.3% and 57.7% in a hospital. The deaths were of natural causes in 69.2%. The most common natural causes were cancer (6 cases, 33.3%) and infections (5 cases,27.8%). Violent death accounted for 31.8% of deaths with 08 victims. Suicide and homicide were the violent death causes most incriminated each with 11.5% (3 cases). The suicide means was hanging in all cases. The death was accidental in 2 cases (7.7%). Conclusion This study shows that a large proportion of deaths among prisoners are preventable. Prevention is, on the one side, by improving the prison health coverage and on the other side by training the prison staff on the identification of suicidal crises and on controlling the technical devices facilitating the transition to the suicidal act, in particular the hanging cases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:07:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c23b5ef5f9094659bab23ac5db13c4a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2090-5939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:07:35Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c23b5ef5f9094659bab23ac5db13c4a02022-12-22T03:56:04ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences2090-59392018-01-01811410.1186/s41935-018-0044-zDeath in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy studyMaher Jedidi0Mohamed Chérif El khal1Souheil Mlayeh2Mohamed Mahjoub3Zied Mezgar4Tasnim Masmoudi5Mohamed Ben Dhiab6Majed Zemni7Mohamed Kamel Souguir8Department of legal medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of legal medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of legal medicine, Ibn Jazzar University HospitalDepartment of hospital hygiene, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of emergency medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of legal medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of legal medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of legal medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalDepartment of legal medicine, Farhat Hached University HospitalAbstract Background Mortality rates and causes of death of the detainees are hence different from those of the general population and there also vary according to regions and countries. Aims To study the peculiarities of death among individuals detained in the region of Sousse in Tunisia and to suggest preventive measures. Material and methods This is a descriptive retrospective study of all deaths in detention collated in the Forensic Medicine department of Farhat Hached teaching hospital in Sousse, Tunisia during a 10-year period 2006 to 2015. Results 26 deaths were collected. All the victims were males. The mean age was 39.5 years. The deaths occurred inside the prison in 42.3% and 57.7% in a hospital. The deaths were of natural causes in 69.2%. The most common natural causes were cancer (6 cases, 33.3%) and infections (5 cases,27.8%). Violent death accounted for 31.8% of deaths with 08 victims. Suicide and homicide were the violent death causes most incriminated each with 11.5% (3 cases). The suicide means was hanging in all cases. The death was accidental in 2 cases (7.7%). Conclusion This study shows that a large proportion of deaths among prisoners are preventable. Prevention is, on the one side, by improving the prison health coverage and on the other side by training the prison staff on the identification of suicidal crises and on controlling the technical devices facilitating the transition to the suicidal act, in particular the hanging cases.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-018-0044-zDeathPrisonsDiseaseSuicideTunisia |
| spellingShingle | Maher Jedidi Mohamed Chérif El khal Souheil Mlayeh Mohamed Mahjoub Zied Mezgar Tasnim Masmoudi Mohamed Ben Dhiab Majed Zemni Mohamed Kamel Souguir Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences Death Prisons Disease Suicide Tunisia |
| title | Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study |
| title_full | Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study |
| title_fullStr | Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study |
| title_short | Death in detention in Sousse, Tunisia: a 10-year autopsy study |
| title_sort | death in detention in sousse tunisia a 10 year autopsy study |
| topic | Death Prisons Disease Suicide Tunisia |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-018-0044-z |
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