Journal of Punjab Academy of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
SCOPUS
  • Year: 2021
  • Volume: 21
  • Issue: 1

Perception of relatives towards Medico-legal autopsy in a tertiary care centre of Northeast India

  • Author:
  • Daunipaia Slong1, AD Ropmay2, Aelifeter R Marak3, Anamika Nath4, Rangme B Y Marbaniang5, AJ Patowary6
  • Total Page Count: 5
  • Published Online: Oct 4, 2021
  • Page Number: 39 to 43

1Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong

2Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong

3Senior Resident, Department of Forensic Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong

4Senior Resident, Department of Forensic Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong

5Technical Assistant, Department of Forensic Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong

6Professor & Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong

*Corresponding Author : Dr AJ Patowary, Professor and Head Department of Forensic Medicine North EasternIndira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS)Mawdiangdiang, ShillongMeghalaya - 793018 Contact : +91 70020-63345, Email : drajpatowary@gmail.com

Abstract

Unlike clinical autopsy, medico-legal autopsy is conducted irrespective of the relative’s consent. However, many of these autopsies are done against their wishes.

This one year cross sectional questionnaire based study includes 179 relatives of the deceased person out of the 195 medico-legal cases brought to the mortuary for medico-legal autopsy.

Out of the 179 cases included in this study, 113 (63.1%) participants had negative attitude towards medico-legal autopsy and 66 (36.9%) participants had positive attitude. The main reasons for the negative attitude towards the autopsy were fear of mutilation of the body, delay funeral and the relatives not interested in knowing the cause of death.

Many had a negative perception towards medico-legal autopsy mainly due to fear of mutilation of the body and delay in funeral.

Keywords

Medico-legal autopsy, Relatives, Perception