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Cited by 16Forensic Toxicology and Drug AnalysisPoisoning and overdose treatmentsHistorical and Scientific Studies

Fatal Poisoning in Jamaica: A coroner’s autopsy study from the University Hospital of the West Indies

ESCOFFERY, CARLOS T, SHIRLEY, SUZANNE E·2004·Medicine, Science and the Law
DOI 10.1258/rsmmsl.44.2.116
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Abstract

This study reviewed cases of fatal poisoning in a coroner's autopsy series at the University Hospital of the West Indies and represented the first such study reported from Jamaica. The autopsy protocols of all coroner's autopsies performed over the 20-year period January 1980 to December 1999 were reviewed retrospectively; 22 (1.0%) cases were identified and relevant clinical and pathological data analysed. There were 13 males and nine females (M:F ratio 1.4:1) with an age range of 2- 69 years (mean ± SD = 27 ± 16.1 years). The 20-29 year group was most commonly affected and five patients (22.7%) were children (<18 years of age). Pesticides (herbicides/insecticides) were implicated in nine (41%) cases: paraquat was the most common, found in six (27%) cases. Prescription drugs were the next most prevalent group with six (27%) cases, followed by anti-psychotic drugs in four (18%) cases. Cocaine and ackee were each implicated in two (9%) cases. The manner of death was suicidal in 14 (64%) cases and accidental in eight (36%) cases. Seven patients had documented psychiatric illnesses, six of whom committed suicide. Autopsy findings were largely non-specific. The relatively small number of cases was consistent with the low incidence of fatal poisoning in Jamaica.

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  • In Jamaica, 63.6% of poisoning-related deaths were suicides, committed by taking insecticides (41%), herbicides (paraquat 27%), drugs (48.9%), and cocaine (9%).

    “A 20-year retrospective study [30] conducted in Jamaica on poisoning-related deaths revealed that 63.6% of these were suicides, committed by taking insecticides (41%), herbicides (paraquat 27%), drugs (48.9%), and cocaine (9%).”

    From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [30]

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Authors
ESCOFFERY, C. T., & SHIRLEY, S. E.
Affiliations
University of the West Indies (JM)
ORCID
SHIRLEY, SUZANNE E
Venue
Medicine, Science and the Law
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2004-04
Volume
44
Issue
2
Pages
116-120
ISSN
  • 0025-8024 (ISSN-L)
  • 2042-1818
DOI
10.1258/rsmmsl.44.2.116
OpenAlex
W1963729875
Cited by
16
References
12
Citations by year
2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2012: 2
FWCI
2.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Medicine Science and the Law (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
U.S. National Library of Medicine
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Emergency Medicine › Poisoning and overdose treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Historical and Scientific Studies
Keywords
fatal poisoning, Jamaica, paraquat, pesticide poisoning, herbicides, insecticides, prescription drug overdose, antipsychotic drugs, cocaine, suicide, accidental poisoning, mental illness, autopsy findings, poisoning incidence
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Autopsy, Cause of Death, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Fruit, Hospitals, University, Humans, Jamaica, Male, Middle Aged, Pesticides, Poisoning, Suicide, Blighia

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