Homeless Deaths in Eskişehir 10 Years Experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17986/blm.2015210943Keywords:
homeless, forensic medicine, autopsyAbstract
Objective: Homelessness is a major social problem that can be seen in all societies. The causes of homelessness indicate changes according to the society. Eskişehir is in the western region of the Anatolia, where is known as high socioeconomic level and a student city. The aim of this study is to present the homeless deaths data by analyzing and comparing with the literature in Eskişehir.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 3108 autopsy between 2004 and 2013 in Eskişehir. Considering autopsy reports and judicial investigation identified 34 homeless deaths and included in the study.
Results: Ten years period covered and it was found that 1.1% of the forensic deaths were homeless death. The cases were mostly 40-50 age group (38.2 %) and 91.2% were male. It was determined that 61.8% died of the natural reasons.
Conclusion: Consequently, this study demonstrated that homelessness is a problem in our city. A significant portion of the homeless people is passed away from curable and preventable reasons. To prevent homeless deaths, homeless people should be recorded and be supported health and social lives. Investigations must be carefully analyzed in homeless deaths. Autopsy and necessary tests should be performed.
Keywords: Homeless, Forensic medicine, Autopsy.
Downloads
References
Plumb JD.Homelessness: care, prevention, and public policy. Ann Intern Med. 1997 126(12) : 973-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-126-12-199706150-00007
2.Song J, Ratner ER, Bartels DM, Alderton L, Hudson B, Ahluwalia JS. Experiences with and attitudes toward death and dying among homeless persons. J Gen Intern Med. 2007 ; 22(4) : 427-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-006-0045-8
Wright NMJ, Tompkins CNE.: How can health services effectively meet the health needs of homeless people? British Journal of General Practice 2006; 56: 286–293.
Saddichha S, Linden I, Krausz MR. Physical and Mental Health Issues among Homeless Youth in British Columbia, Canada: Are they Different from Older Homeless Adults? J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014;23(3):200-6
Vuillermoz C, Aouba A, Grout L, Vandentorren S, Tassin F, Vazifeh L, Ghosn W, Jougla E, Rey G1. Estimating the number of homeless deaths in France, 2008-2010. BMC Public Health. 2014 Jul 7;14:690. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-690. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-690
Hibbs JR, Benner L, Klugman L, Spencer R, Macchia I, Mellinger A, Fife DK. Mortality in a cohort of homeless adults in Philadelphia. N Engl J Med 1994;331(5):304–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199408043310506
Hwang SW, Orav EJ, O’Connell JJ, Lebow JM, Brennan TA: Causes of death in homeless adults in Boston. Ann Intern Med 1997; 126 (8):625–628. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-126-8-199704150-00007
Barrow SM, Herman DB, Córdova P, Struening EL: Mortality among homeless shelter residents in New York City. Am J Public Health 1999;89 (4):529–534. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.89.4.529
Baggett TP, Hwang SW, O’Connell JJ, Porneala BC, Stringfellow EJ, Orav EJ, Singer DE, Rigotti NA: Mortality among homeless adults in Boston: shifts in causes of death over a 15-year period. JAMA Intern Med 2013; 173(3):189–195. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.1604
Hanzlick R, Parrish RG: Deaths among the homeless in Fulton County, GA, 1988–90. Public Health Rep Wash DC 1993; 108 (4):488–491.
Gambatese M, Marder D, Begier E, Gutkovich A, Mos R, Griffin A, Zimmerman R, Madsen A: Programmatic Impact of 5 Years of Mortality Surveillance of New York City Homeless Populations. Am J Public Health 2013;103:193–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301196
CDC: Deaths among homeless persons–San Francisco, 1985–1990. MMWR 1991; 40 (50): 877–80.
Hwang SW: Mortality among men using homeless shelters in Toronto, Ontario. JAMA J Am Med Assoc 2000; 283(16) :2152–2157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.283.16.2152
Hwang SW, Wilkins R, Tjepkema M, O’Campo PJ, Dunn JR: Mortality among residents of shelters, rooming houses, and hotels in Canada: 11 year follow-up study. BMJ 2009; 26(339): 4036. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b4036
Roy E, Haley N, Leclerc P, Sochanski B, Boudreau J-F, Boivin J-F: Mortality in a cohort of street youth in Montreal. JAMA J Am Med Assoc 2004, 292(5):569–574. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.292.5.569
Cheung AM, Hwang SW: Risk of death among homeless women: a cohort study and review of the literature. CMAJ 2004; 170 (8):1243–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.1031167
Morrison DS. Homelessness as an independent risk factor for mortality: results from a retrospective cohort study. Int J Epidemiol 2009; 38 (3) :877–83. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyp160
Beijer U, Andreasson S, Agren G, Fugelstad A. Mortality and causes of death among homeless women and men in Stockholm. Scand J Public Health 2011;39 (2):121–127. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494810393554
Shaw M, Dorling D: Mortality among street youth in the UK. Lancet 1998;352(9129):743. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)60868-9
Nilsson SF, Hjorthøj CR, Erlangsen A, Nordentoft M: Suicide and unintentional injury mortality among homeless people: a Danish nationwide register-based cohort study. Eur J Public Health 2014, 24(1):50–56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckt025
Babidge NC, Buhrich N, Butler T: Mortality among homeless people with schizophrenia in Sydney, Australia: a 10-year follow-up. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001; 103(2):105–10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00192.x
Büyük Y, Uzün I, Eke M, Cetïn G. Homeless deaths in Istanbul, Turkey. J Forensic Leg Med. 2008 ;15(5):318-21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2007.12.004
Suzuki H1, Hikiji W, Tanifuji T, Abe N, Fukunaga T. Medicolegal death of homeless persons in Tokyo Metropolis over 12 years (1999-2010). Leg Med (Tokyo). 2013;15(3):126-33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2012.10.004
Hwang S.: Mental illness and mortality among homeless people. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001;103(2):81-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.103002081.x
Deaths among the homeless-Atlanta, Georgia. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1987;297–9.
Mac Williams J, Bramwell M, Brown S, O'Connor M. Reaching out to Ray: delivering palliative care services to a homeless person in Melbourne, Australia. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2014 ;20(2):83-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2014.20.2.83
Davis-Berman J. Contributing cause of death: poverty. J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care. 2013;9(4):244-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2013.846890
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The Journal and content of this website is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) License. The Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) allows users to copy, distribute and transmit an article, adapt the article and make commercial use of the article. The CC BY license permits commercial and non-commercial re-use of an open access article, as long as the author is properly attributed.
