Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
BMC Geriatrics, cilt.25, sa.1, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Background: Improved quality of life and advances in health care have led to an increase in life expectancy worldwide. This demographic change leads to an increase in the older person population and necessitates the examination of accidental trauma cases in individuals aged 65 years and older. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between accident-related deaths and chronic diseases in individuals aged 65 years and older. Methods: The archival records of Erzurum Forensic Medicine Group Mortuary were retrospectively analyzed between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2023. A total of 2398 autopsy cases were analyzed and 487 (20.3%) belonged to the geriatric age group. The study included 180 accident-related cases. Data were collected from autopsy findings, sociodemographic information and chronic diseases. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 25. Results: It was determined that 72.7% of cases were male, with an average age of 74.2 years, and that the most common cause of death was traffic accidents (51.1%). Furthermore, it was found that 41.9% of deaths occurred on streets or roads, with 63.3% occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, 83.9% of cases were found to live with their families. The most common chronic diseases were cardiac and respiratory diseases (49.4%). Statistically significant relationships were identified between causes of death and existing diseases and psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: In order to prevent accident-related deaths, it is important to take protective measures and facilitate access to emergency medical services for geriatric individuals, especially those with chronic diseases. This is particularly important for preventing traffic accidents in urban areas and firearm and animal attacks in rural areas. Examining the causes and risk factors of accident-related deaths in the older population can promote healthier ageing. This study provides important data from a public health perspective and represents a valuable research that addresses a rare and significant gap in the literature regarding geriatric accident-related deaths. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between chronic diseases and accident-related deaths, and to propose solutions to prevent such deaths among the older population.