Deaths due to home accidents which autopsies made between years of 2005-2009 in İzmir

According to the definition of WHO (world health organization) `?accident??; is an event which causes moral and material loss and happened involuntarily as a result of disqualification in any work or carelessness, incautiousness, negligence. In developed countries accidents are the most frequently seen death reason after heart diseases, and cancer. Home accidents are seen more frequently than other accidents types in the world and in our country.At this study, the definition of preventions are aimed in order to decrease the deaths depended on home accidents to the least and to classify death cases developing as a result of home accidents, their autopsy was performed by the Ministry of Justice Institution of Forensic Medicine Group Chairmanship in 2005-2009 years, and autopsy reports and crime scene investigation protocols were analyzed retroactively and 415 cases that are defined as a result of home accident were received for consideration.Deaths occurred by home accidents; poisonings, blunt traumas, burns, asphyxia were investigated in four main groups. When analyzing the causes of deaths of cases that take place in research group, poisonings were seen to be primary reason of death depended on home accidents. At the study, carbon monoxide poisonings were found as the most frequent home accident reason; fire burns and blunt traumas by falling from high were seen to follow it.When deaths occurred by home accidents are being assessed from gender distribution; male deaths are significantly more than female deaths at home accidents.The most frequent age group depended on home accidents that take place in our study group were seen to occur in 0-3 ages, and 49-51 and 79-81 ages follow it. When cases are grouped as under 18 aged and below, 19-64 age, and 65 age and above, accidents depended on home accidents occur mostly between 19-64 ages, when an analyze performed as case number per age and 18 age, it is determined that in this context which death reaches to the high level deaths occurred by home accidents, of deaths are very crucial matter for adolescents and children at the ages of 18 and below by home accident.Most of the majority of cases is determined to die at home scene of accidents (%61.4). At the study it is determined that home accidents and deaths depended on it happen on winter months take the first place, and deaths intensify especially on January and December, and on summer the death rate decreased to the least level.The increase of accident frequency at the periods that were spent awake and active at home draws attention. When home accident frequency investigated within today, the highest time period when accident happens is 06.00- 12.00 and 12.00-18.00.While it is determined that men carry more accident risk at window side, balcony, bedroom, corridor-stairs, garden-terrace-roof of home; women have more accident risk at the kitchen and bathroom. When home parts where home accidents occur, are being examined from age groups, it is observed that most of the cases in all age groups. Home accidents are mostly experienced at room-hall side of home.At the study that is presented, within the scope of defined risk factors and precautions, in order to overcome the deaths depended on home accidents we reach that, to support projects towards safe home and safe house ware, and the medicines used at home, chemicals and kitchen tools, and accelerate the legal regulations related to it, to increase efforts towards training of nurses, old, children and parents, to provide inspection of home by home safety supervisors are all required.Key words: home accidents, medico-legal cases, death, forensic medicine.