Citation

Shubhendu K, Chaure L, Kumar S, Mahto T, Chaudhary AK. Indian J. Forensic Med. Toxicol. 2021; 15(1): 139-146.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Deptartment of Forensic Medicine)

DOI

10.37506/ijfmt.v15i1.13387

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Every year, it was found that burns caused by fire were responsible for about 265,000 deaths globally. More than 90% of fatal fire-related burns occur in developing or lower and middle income countries (LMICs). Out of this, South-East Asia alone accounts for more than half of these fire-related deaths. In South East Asian region, death due to Burns in girl / women is more than that of Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. In India, burn injury is found to be one of the major causes of death, especially in females. The problem of death due to burns in developing countries like India is primarily due to various socio-cultural factors prevalent in the country. Some of these factors include poor housing conditions, poor maintenance of electrical appliances, and customs of wearing dresses like sarees or dupatta, practice of dowry, illiteracy level and poverty. Material and Method: Materials for the present study were collected from the medico legal autopsies of 296 burn cases, performed at the mortuary of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, during the period from January 2018 to December 2018. A detailed performa was designed with a definite set of questionnaire which formed the basis of this study.

RESULTS: In our study, out of the 296 cases, the most common age group involved was 21-30 years with a female sex predilection (female to male ratio of 1.5:1). As far as the marital status is concerned, most cases were of married men and women (66.22%) involving mostly Housewives (43.25%). The most common time period involved was between 4 PM to 10 PM (35.47%). Most of the cases took place at home (75.34%).

CONCLUSION:-Our study primarily focuses on the epidemiological profile of data involving burn cases in this part of India which is relatively a backward area comprising of a majority of tribal population. © 2021, Institute of Medico-Legal Publications. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Female; adult; human; homicide; suicide; burn; child; female; male; incidence; autopsy; poverty; cause of death; mortality; occupation; Burn; questionnaire; marriage; tuberculosis; Article; Young; Married; illiteracy; Housewives