Investigation of the relationship between traumatic injury characteristics and individual self-esteem and quality of life from a forensic medicine perspective

Our study aims to examine the effects of traumatic injury on individuals, and to examine the relationship between individuals' self-esteem and quality of life and the type of traumatic injury, injury region and permanent physical disability rates due to trauma from a Forensic Medicine perspective. The study included 246 cases over the age of 18 who applied to Aydın Adnan Menderes University Forensic Medicine Polyclinic and agreed to participate in the study. Demographic characteristics and traumatic injury features of the cases were recorded and Rosenborg Self-Esteem (RSE) and SF-12 Quality of Life Scale were applied. It was determined that 29% of the cases were female (n:71) and 71% were male (n:175) and the mean age was 37.14 years. It was determined that the average RSE score of the cases was 20.02 and that this average score was in the range where self-esteem was evaluated at an adequate level. The mean physical component summary (PCS) score of the SF-12 Quality of Life subcomponents was determined to be 40.76 and the mean mental component summary (MCS) score was determined to be 40.42. No statistically significant relationship was found between the age of the cases and their self-esteem scores and PCS. A low level significant relationship was found between MCS and age. In comparing the RSE scores of the cases according to the injury region, it was found that the difference between the regions was statistically significant, injuries in the upper extremity region had significantly higher RSE scores than other regions, and injuries in the lower extremity and vertebral regions had significantly lower RSE scores than other regions. When the rates of permanent disability due to trauma and the type of injury and RSE scores were examined, the difference between the groups was found to be not statistically significant. In the comparison of cases according to PCS scores; it was found that the difference between the regions was statistically significant, cases injured in the facial region had significantly higher PCS scores than other cases, cases injured in the vertebral region had significantly lower PCS scores than other cases, the difference between the rates of permanent disability due to trauma was statistically significant, cases with low rates of permanent disability due to trauma had significantly higher PCS scores, and as the rate of permanent disability due to trauma increased, the PCS score decreased, the difference between the types of injuries was statistically significant, cases injured by physical violence had significantly higher PCS scores than other cases, and cases injured in traffic accidents had significantly lower PCS scores than other cases. When the MCS scores of quality of life were examined according to the rates of permanent disability due to trauma, it was found that the difference between the rates was statistically significant, and cases with a disability rate of 0-9.9% had significantly higher MCS scores than cases with a disability rate of 10-19.9%. It was found that MCS scores were not statistically significant between injury region and type. It was determined that forensic cases exposed to trauma had moderate levels of self-esteem. It was observed that as the level of education increased, self-esteem became higher. As the age of the cases increased, it was observed that the mental component of the quality of life was better. It was determined that the physical components of the quality of life of male cases were higher after trauma. It was determined that the injury regions of the cases could affect the self-esteem score. It was determined that the quality of life of cases with lower rates of permanent disability due to trauma was better, and the injury regions and types of injuries could affect the physical component score of the quality of life. Keywords: Trauma, Disability, Forensic Medicine, Self-Esteem, Quality of Life