Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorMole, Calvin Geralden_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorHeyns, Mariseen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorClark, Courtneeen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-01-25T11:43:09Z
dc.date.available2016-01-25T11:43:09Z
dc.date.issued2015en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical referencesen_ZA
dc.description.abstractThere 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.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationClark, C. (2015). <i>Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16521en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationClark, Courtnee. <i>"Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16521en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationClark, 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.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Clark, Courtnee AB - 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. DA - 2015 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2015 T1 - Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa TI - Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16521 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/16521
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationClark C. Patterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 2015 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16521en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDivision of Forensic Medicine and Toxicologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherBiomedical Forensic Scienceen_ZA
dc.titlePatterns of death due to blunt force trauma in the West Metropole of the City of Cape Town, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPhilen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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