Unnatural and Violent Death in Cases with High Blood Alcohol Concentration— Autopsy Study

Abstract

The use of alcohol increases the risk of dying from unnatural or violent causes. The presented study explored the distribution of age, gender, cause, and circumstances of death in persons who died in an unnatural and violent manner, with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) higher than 0.3 g/dL, and where the cause of death was not alcohol intoxication. We defined the control (0 < BAC < 0.3 g/dL) and study (BAC ≥ 0.3 g/dL) groups, as in subjects with these concentrations, there is a significant risk of gross intoxication, stupor, and death. The subjects from the study group were older, with no difference in gender distribution. Traffic accidents were the most common fatal event in both groups, followed by suicides. Other accidents (choking on food and exposure to fire) were more frequent in the study group. Compared to the control group, subjects from the study group were older persons whose deaths were mainly accidental.

Autopsy study of alcohol‐associated unnatural deaths in Thailand, 2007–2019

“…However, researchers raised a question whether an apparently increasing rate of alcohol consumption by younger Thai women might eventually narrow the gender differential, with higher rates of adverse health consequences for the female population (Assanangkornchai et al, 2010, 2020). Such a trend was noted for other countries, especially in regard to heavy episodic drinking (HED), sometimes called “binge drinking” (Bratberg et al, 2016; Cvetkovic et al, 2017; McCaul et al, 2019).…”

“…Such a trend was noted for other countries, especially in regard to heavy episodic drinking (HED), sometimes called "binge drinking" (Bratberg et al, 2016;Cvetkovic et al, 2017;McCaul et al, 2019).…”