Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa
Master Thesis
2015
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
There is currently a paucity of information regarding the prevalence and characteristics associated with blunt force trauma related homicides in South Africa. Information relating to the patterns of blunt force trauma could assist in the implementation of appropriate interventions targeted at specific areas or individuals. Furthermore, it can direct research toward topics in blunt force trauma which are in need of investigation. As such the primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of blunt force trauma related homicides in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. The secondary objective was to describe the characteristics associated with blunt force trauma related homicides in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. This thesis begins by defining blunt force wounds and comparing and contrasting the prevalence and documented characteristics associated with blunt force trauma nationally as well as internationally. Blunt force wounds occur when the body comes into contact with a blunt object at great force. Homicides by blunt force trauma are usually the result of assaults with fists, feet, bats or clubs, etc. Common wounds associated with blunt force assaults are contusions, lacerations and in some cases, bone fractures. In fatal blunt force assaults, these wounds tend to be located primarily on the head region. Salt River Mortuary receives cases from the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, hence the results of this thesis are considered in the context of this area. This region is comprised of areas with diverse socio-economic status' and heterogeneous crime rates. The study was a retrospective review of autopsy reports obtained from Salt River mortuary from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014. The prevalence of blunt force trauma was considered for unnatural deaths with a focus on homicide. The inclusion criteria were cases where the cause of death was blunt force trauma as determined by the pathologist. Cases in which the death was not caused solely by blunt force trauma were classified as combination deaths, and cases involving deaths due to blunt force trauma as a result of falling from a height, train-related, pedestrian or motor vehicle accidents were excluded. A total of 3346 and 3461 cases of unnatural deaths occurred in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town in 2013 and 2014 respectively. 247 (7.4%) cases in 2013 and 277 (8%) cases in 2014 involved blunt force injuries, and of these cases 183 (5.5%) in 201 3 and 201 (5.8%) in 2014 were classified as homicides. The results of the characteristics of blunt force homicide analysed in this study broadly concur with previous studies undertaken in South Africa, with some areas of divergence. Additional features that have not been extensively covered in previous studies also emerged, which could possibly form the basis for future investigations.
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Clark, C. 2015. Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. University of Cape Town.