NCJ Number
228520
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2009 Pages: 1101-1104
Date Published
September 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Based on court documents, coroners' investigation reports, and autopsy reports, this study obtained data on the age, gender, nationality and origin, and cause and place of death for foreigners who died in Istanbul, Turkey, between 1998 and 2002.
Abstract
Out of the 14,647 cases with available medicolegal data for the study period, 3.5 percent (411) were foreigners from 34 different nations. Among the nationalities represented, Romanians composed the highest percentage (34 percent). Out of the 411 foreign decedents, 74.3 percent were male, and 25.7 percent were females. Tourists visiting Istanbul composed 64.4 percent of the sample, and 35.6 percent of the sample had a job in Istanbul. Of the 146 foreigners who were employed in Istanbul, only 5.5 percent had a work permit. Accidents were the most frequent cause of death among both foreign tourists and workers; however, a greater number of tourists died of traffic accidents and water-sport accidents, followed by cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal diseases. Drug abuse had an important role in accidents. The study advises that foreign tourists, especially those living in countries where they drive on the left, should use public transportation as a safety measure. Poisoning caused death among 30.3 percent of foreigners, due primarily to the high rate of poisoning with methyl alcohol (62.2 percent). The rate of foreigners murdered in Istanbul was higher among tourists than among foreign workers. Suicides, on the other hand, were higher among employed foreigners. None of the foreigner deaths were caused by infectious diseases. The study advises that international cooperation is needed to prevent foreigner deaths. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 31 references