Death by hanging in Western Australia

Abstract

We present a review of the circumstances and medical findings of 280 fatalities due to hanging in Western Australia (WA) during the 5 yr period 1988-1992. Two hundred and forty one (241) of the cases were examined prospectively; the completed Coroner's files of a further 39 cases, from rural WA, were examined retrospectively. Most of the 280 deaths were in males (88%), and most were in the age range of 15-35 yrs (56%). Seven cases occurred in children aged 15 or less. There was one homicide, 14 cases thought to be accidental, and 261 suicides; in 4 cases the manner of death could not be determined. In one-third of the cases there was a medical history of a psychiatric condition. The majority occurred in or around the decedent's home (71%). The most commonly used ligature was a rope (59%). Alcohol was the most commonly detected drug following post mortem analysis (30%). In WA then, there is one hanging death every 6.5 days, the majority being suicides, in men of young adult age, typically occurring in or around the home.