Sociodemographic and Autopsy Findings in Hanging-Related Deaths: Evidence from Isparta, Türkiye

ObjectiveSuicide is a major public health issue affectingmillions of people worldwide. In particular, hanginghas increasingly become a more frequently chosenmethod of suicide. Understanding the characteristicsof suicide cases is of great importance for thedevelopment of effective prevention strategies.This study examined suicide cases by hanging thatoccurred within a specific region. Autopsy findings,along with the location and time of the incidentand the sociodemographic characteristics of theindividuals, were evaluated collectively to identifyfactors associated with this type of suicide.Material and MethodThis retrospective observational study examinedfindings from 80 autopsies conducted due to hangingrelateddeaths in Isparta province, Türkiye, between2012 and 2020, as well as data about the individuals.Variables such as sociodemographic characteristics,type of hanging, autopsy findings, material used, historyof psychiatric illness, suicide note, and contributingfactors were defined categorically. Statistical differencesbetween variables were assessed using the chisquaretest, and the significance level was set at p <0.05.ResultsThe majority of the examined cases consisted of maleindividuals (n = 58, 72.5%). Cervical vertebral fractureswere significantly more frequent among individualsaged 65 years and older compared to other agegroups (p < 0.05). The use of scarves among womenand the presence of hyoid bone fractures among menwere found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).Suicide cases were most frequently observed duringthe autumn season (n = 30, 37.5%) and predominantlyoccurred within home environments (n = 56, 70%).ConclusionThe findings reveal that suicide is associated withdemographic and environmental factors and that ageand gender are significantly correlated with certainautopsy findings. The data obtained indicate thatsuicide prevention strategies should be developed byfocusing on both individual and environmental riskfactors.