Profile and Pattern of Incidence of Women Death during the Year 2011 (Jan-Dec) in BTGH (Basaveswar Teaching and Government Hospital), Gulbarga, Karnataka - A Retrospective Study

In 1998, India was the only country in the world where fire (burns) was classified among the 15 leading causes of death. High mortality in young married women from burns has already become an alarming and contentious medical problem in India. The incidences of burn mortality by age, sex, residence, marital status; manner and reasons have been reported from the different (urban and rural) parts of India. From a total of 43/88 female cases that were autopsied at BTGH were studied during the period from Jan 2011 to Dec 2011 at Dept of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology M. R. Medical College Gulbarga. The data was analyzed with regard to age, marital status, religion, mode of infliction, cause and manner of death. The cases represented approximately 50% of all autopsies done during the same period. The age ranged from 3 yrs to 60 yrs, with mean age 27 yrs & standard deviation 10.85 31 (72%) cases are due to burns, 7 (16%) are due to O.P.poisoning, 5 (12%) are due to other causes like hanging, fall from height, RTA, etc. 29 (67%) were married and 14 (33%) unmarried. Among 43 female cases, 38 (88%) are Hindus and 5 (12%) are Muslims. All the victims were hospitalized in BTGH after the incident and in majority of them cause of death was septicemia.