Legal Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Association of age, sexual intercourse history, and physical violence with pregnancy among sexual violence victims: a case–control study in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia","authors":"Raja Al Fath Widya Iswara,&nbsp;Nur Rahayu Ramadhan,&nbsp;I Putu Indra Pradnya Winanta,&nbsp;Aprillia Nurcahyani","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pregnancy is a serious reproductive consequence of sexual violence, particularly among adolescents and young women. Age, repeated sexual intercourse, and physical violence during assault may increase pregnancy risk, yet evidence from forensic settings in Indonesia remains limited. This study analyzed the association of age, sexual intercourse history, and physical violence with pregnancy among sexual violence victims in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective case–control study was conducted using medicolegal (<em>visum et repertum</em>) and clinical records from referral hospitals in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, from January 2018 to December 2025. Cases included 100 female sexual violence victims aged 10–25 years with pregnancy following sexual violence, while controls included 100 victims without pregnancy. Variables analyzed were age category, sexual intercourse history, and physical violence findings. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Most participants were aged below 18 years. Repeated sexual intercourse was significantly associated with pregnancy. Victims reporting more than one episode of sexual intercourse had higher odds of pregnancy than those reporting one-time intercourse (OR = 3.38; 95% CI: 1.82–6.29; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Physical violence findings were also significantly associated with pregnancy (OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.21–3.87; <em>p</em> = 0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that repeated sexual intercourse (AOR = 3.18; 95% CI: 1.66–6.08; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) and physical violence (AOR = 1.98; 95% CI: 1.04–3.76; <em>p</em> = 0.036) remained independent predictors, while age was not significantly associated.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Repeated sexual intercourse and physical violence were independently associated with pregnancy among sexual violence victims.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102902"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148353924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic discrimination in workplace, insurance industry and legal system: A review","authors":"Simone Grassi,&nbsp;Andrea Costantino,&nbsp;Andrea Bonicelli,&nbsp;Francesca Iasi,&nbsp;Emma Beatrice Croce,&nbsp;Giorgia Leone,&nbsp;Pietro Carotenuto,&nbsp;Noemi Procopio,&nbsp;Stefano Ferracuti,&nbsp;Antonio Oliva","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Unfair treatment of a person based on specific genetic characteristics is generally called genetic discrimination (GD). GD is a large-scale issue, as it is commonly perceived as such in many different contexts (e.g., work environment, insurance industry, legal system). Many entities that are often not directly connected to healthcare have lawful access to large amounts of genetic information, and the individual right to control access to and use of them or even to request their erasure must be balanced with other public and private interests. Given the complexity of the issue, in this paper we review the main regulatory and medico-legal aspects connected to GD, with specific regard to the main contexts where it is present.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Two independent reviewers (SG and AC) conducted a narrative review using PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Genetic Discrimination Observatory (GDO). Boolean search combined “genetic information” AND “genetic discrimination” with (“regulation” OR “law” OR “insurance” OR “right to be forgotten” OR “right to erasure” OR “employment” OR “workplace” OR “justice system” OR “antisocial behavior”). Inclusion criteria comprised: (1) full-text articles available in English; (2) publications between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2025; (3) studies addressing GD or relevant legal frameworks. Exclusion criteria comprised duplicate records, studies not primarily focused on GD, irrelevant publications, unavailable full texts, and non-English articles. G7 countries were prioritized.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>the results of our review were divided into different paragraphs, following the main aspects/contexts of GD: national and supranational regulations against GD; right to be forgotten; GD in the insurance industry; GD in the workplace; GD in criminal justice.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion and conclusions</h3><div>Our review showed a significant international variability in addressing this issue, with legal approaches that vary from relatively static to highly dynamic. Some hot topics, like right to be forgotten, are inadequately or not addressed in most countries, with individual rights in specific contexts that struggle to be regulated. While in insurance industry variable trade-offs between individual and industry interests have been proposed, concerns about GD in workplaces and legal system (with specific reference to behavioral genetics) require a strict and codified regulation and a sound scientific basis to justify lawful and ethical use of genetic information in these contexts. Indeed, in these contexts, unforeseen negative consequences (different from the intended use) for the person who freely gave access to his/her genetic data represent the main hazard. These consequences tend to mainly concern the same economic/social minorities that are already exposed to a high risk of unequal social/employment/legal treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102901"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148347170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward methodological standardization in forensic immunohistochemistry: a critical appraisal of 144 post-mortem studies and a proposed evaluative framework","authors":"Luca Tomassini,&nbsp;Martina Onofri,&nbsp;Cristiana Gambelunghe,&nbsp;Piergiorgio Fedeli,&nbsp;Roberto Scendoni,&nbsp;Niccolò Pini,&nbsp;Massimo Lancia","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102894","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102894","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is widely applied in post-mortem forensic investigations. Its evidentiary value depends critically on methodological standardization. Following PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO registration (CRD420251063965), we systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for original IHC studies on human autopsy material. A total of 144 studies were included and evaluated against six predefined methodological criteria (M1–M6) addressing slide interpretation metrics, multi-reader assessment, observer blinding, concordance reporting, quality control, and predefined positivity thresholds.</div><div>IHC was applied across diverse forensic domains, most frequently in traumatic brain injury (16%), sudden cardiac death (14%), COVID-19-related death (13%), and wound vitality/wound dating (11%). Quantitative or semi-quantitative slide reading (M1) was adopted in 75.7% of studies, and quality control measures (M5) in 52.8%. By contrast, blinded reading (M3) was implemented in only 40% of applicable studies, inter-observer concordance (M4) in 10%, and predefined positivity thresholds (M6) in only 4.2% of studies. Only 38.9% of studies met three or more methodological criteria, and a single study satisfied all six criteria.</div><div>Forensic IHC demonstrates broad application and considerable inferential ambition, but its methodological foundations remain inconsistently consolidated. We propose that future forensic IHC studies place greater emphasis on analytical validation, standardized interpretation criteria, assessment of observer agreement, and systematic reporting of relevant pre-analytical variables in order to improve reproducibility and comparability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102894"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148341047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors that delay discovery in cases of death at home in Japan","authors":"Yukie Yamasaki,&nbsp;Nanako Tamiya,&nbsp;Hideki Yamamoto,&nbsp;Masanobu Miura,&nbsp;Kaori Taniguchi,&nbsp;Chie Kobayashi,&nbsp;Masafumi Motomura,&nbsp;Ayako Himemiya-Hakucho,&nbsp;Satoru Miyaishi","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102895","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102895","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Japan, solitary deaths have become a social issue, with an increasing number of cases in which the body is discovered long after death. This study aimed to clarify the factors underlying such delays. Cases of death at home were extracted from forensic autopsies. In each case, we collected information about the deceased and their living conditions. The postmortem interval until finding (PMI-f) was calculated by measuring the time between death and discovery. We classified the cases into long PMI-f (LPMI-f; having PMI-f of ≥3 days) and short PMI-f (SPMI-f; having PMI-f of &lt;3 days), and examined the factors that lead to LPMI-f. The characteristics of the group living alone with a PMI-f of &lt;24 h and living with family or acquaintances with an LPMI-f were also analyzed. Among the 420 cases included, 244 (58.1%) were in the LPMI-f group. The LPMI-f group had higher number of males; older individuals; those living alone; those found inside their homes; single, retired, or non-employed individuals; those without long-term care certification; and those with drinking habits. Forty-seven individuals lived alone and had PMI-f of &lt;24 h. Regular visits from relatives living separately led to early detection after death. In the LPMI-f group, 56 individuals lived with family or acquaintances. The absence of regular visits can result in delayed discovery after death; however, the time between death and discovery could be shortened by implementing systems such as allowing neighbors to check the person's safety by noticing uncollected mail.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102895"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148341024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A case of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to rupture of a post-traumatic vertebral artery aneurysm","authors":"Homare Kaga,&nbsp;Kazuki Harada,&nbsp;Kana Unuma","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Post-traumatic intracranial vertebral artery (VA) aneurysms are rare but clinically significant causes of fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We report a case of a woman in her 50s found dead following reported physical assaults. Histological analysis of the right VA revealed a traumatic aneurysm with two discrete sites of intimal and medial lesion within a single cross-section. Although one site had ruptured, the other remained as an unruptured mural defect. Both sites showed signs of acute inflammation with neutrophilic infiltration without fibrosis, indicating that a vital reaction occurred shortly before death. These findings provide morphological evidence that traumatic mechanical stress can induce multi-focal structural degradation rather than a localized, single-point failure. This case helps to understand the pathophysiological spectrum of traumatic vascular injuries in forensic practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102899"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148341036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postmortem low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio as an adjunctive marker for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome","authors":"Shojiro Takasu,&nbsp;Sari Matsumoto","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102897","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102897","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In forensic practice, diagnosing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) as the cause of death is challenging, particularly in cases without histological findings. Lipid ratios, such as the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL<img>C) and triglyceride (TG)/HDL-C ratios, are better indicators of atherogenic balance, compared with individual lipid parameters; however, their use in postmortem investigations remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether the LDL-C/HDL-C and TG/HDL-C ratios in postmortem blood are associated with ACS. This retrospective study included 426 forensic autopsy cases (postmortem interval ≤ 72 h). The cases were classified into the ACS (<em>n</em> = 81) and control (<em>n</em> = 345) groups. Postmortem serum LDL-C, HDL<img>C, and TG levels were measured, and the LDL-C/HDL-C and TG/HDL-C ratios were calculated. In the multivariable analysis, LDL-C levels (odds ratio 1.013, 95% confidence interval 1.008–1.018) and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (odds ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.24, <em>p</em> = 0.012) were independently associated with ACS, whereas TG and HDL-C levels, the TG/HDL-C ratio, body mass index, and adipose tissue thickness were not. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed moderate diagnostic performance for the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (area under the curve 0.68), with an optimal cut-off value of 2.97 (sensitivity of 80.3% and specificity of 51.9%). The TG/HDL-C ratio demonstrated a lower diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve 0.63). LDL-related lipid parameters were significantly associated with ACS in postmortem cases and may serve as useful adjunctive markers in forensic diagnosis. In contrast, TG-related indices and obesity measures had a limited diagnostic value.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102897"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148347114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interpretable machine learning models for predicting incestuous relationships from short tandem repeat profiles in sexual assault–related pregnancies for forensic intelligence","authors":"Shota Inokuchi,&nbsp;Tetsuya Satoh,&nbsp;Hiroaki Nakanishi,&nbsp;Aya Takada,&nbsp;Kazuyuki Saito","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pregnancies resulting from sexual assault present complex ethical and investigative challenges, especially in cases that involve minors or individuals with intellectual disabilities. When suspect samples are unavailable, identifying whether the biological father is a close relative can substantially narrow the scope of the investigation. This study presents interpretable machine learning models to evaluate the likelihood of a consanguineous relationship between an alleged perpetrator and a victim in cases of pregnancies resulting from suspected sexual assault, using short tandem repeat (STR) profiles of the fetus or newborn and the mother. We simulated 100,000 STR profiles across four incestuous relationship scenarios: parent (father–daughter), sibling (brother–sister), grandparent (grandfather–granddaughter), and uncle (uncle–niece) scenarios. Logistic regression and decision tree models were trained using two STR-derived features: the number of homozygous loci and the number of loci matching the maternal genotype. Both models demonstrated excellent predictive performance, particularly in the parent and sibling scenarios (area under the curve &gt;0.9). The models' interpretability ensures the transparency essential for forensic casework. This approach enables informed investigative decisions and may prevent unnecessary DNA testing, thereby improving forensic efficiency while protecting human rights.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102889"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148284769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LC-MS/MS analysis of propofol in postmortem blood: propofol glucuronide as an indicator of exposure","authors":"Koji Yamaguchi,&nbsp;Ayumi Motomura,&nbsp;Namiko Ishii,&nbsp;Keisuke Okaba,&nbsp;Shizuru Hara,&nbsp;Aiko Ando,&nbsp;Daisuke Yajima","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Propofol (PRF) is a short-acting intravenous anesthetic widely used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. However, multiple accidental deaths resulting from the non-therapeutic use of PRF have been reported; therefore, PRF is an important target analyte in forensic investigations. In this study, quantitative analytical methods for PRF and propofol glucuronide (PRG) in postmortem blood were developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For quantification, PRF was derivatized with <em>N</em>-(2-(bromomethyl)benzyl)-<em>N</em>,<em>N</em>-diethylethanaminium bromide (CAX<img>B) to increase LC-MS/MS detection sensitivity. PRF was quantified using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in positive ion mode. The extract was diluted after the derivatization reaction, and the quantification range was set to 0.1–20 μg/mL, which is suitable for routine quantitative analysis of PRF in postmortem blood samples. PRG was quantified using SRM in positive ion mode. Both analytical methods were validated and applied to authentic postmortem blood samples. The utility of PRG as a complementary marker in SRM-based drug screening was evaluated. Our findings demonstrate that PRG is a valuable indicator of PRF exposure in forensic casework and may help address limitations in the routine detection of PRF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102900"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148334097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conventional diatom testing using strong acid: influence of postmortem contamination on diatoms in closed organs and lungs of highly decomposed immersed bodies","authors":"Eiji Kakizaki,&nbsp;Norihiro Shinkawa,&nbsp;Ai Sonoda,&nbsp;Akie Yanai,&nbsp;Yuuka Uemura,&nbsp;Nobuhiro Yukawa","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102891","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Our previous study showed that diatoms adhering to Kjeldahl flasks can cause false-positive results in subsequent tests (28% of flasks; 1–290 diatoms/flask). Among 100 autopsy cases, ≥5 diatoms/10 g were found in the kidney of only two decomposed bodies, raising suspicion of contamination during postmortem immersion and/or tissue sampling at autopsy. In the present study, we examined 38 highly decomposed immersed bodies using only new flasks. Despite severe decomposition, no diatoms were detected in the kidney or liver in 15 cases (39%). Among 12 cases with an open thoracic and/or abdominal cavity, five (42%) had large numbers of diatoms (≥10/10 g), whereas six (50%) showed only 1–2/10 g. In three cases suspected of involving immersion in river water, with the bodies later drifting out to sea or onto the seashore, marine diatoms were scarce even in the lungs (&lt;3%). Two non-drowning immersed bodies showed no diatoms in the lungs. In 27 cases in which algae were attached to the body surface, six (22%) revealed large numbers of diatoms (≥10/10 g) in the kidney or liver. In 20 cases with closed cavities, there was no positive correlation between diatom count in the kidney or liver and the count in the lungs, similar to our previous findings. The present findings indicate that, when new flasks are used, relatively high levels of diatom contamination are more likely to occur during tissue sampling at autopsy than during postmortem immersion or during the diatom testing procedure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102891"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148353969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of suicide statistics in Türkiye between 2015 and 2024","authors":"Mehmet Alp İnce,&nbsp;Esra İnce,&nbsp;Ali Metin Düzcan","doi":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102896","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.102896","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to evaluate suicide statistics from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) from 2015 to 2024 in terms of demographic and sociocultural characteristics, while also providing a forensic medicine perspective through comparison with the literature.</div><div>Suicide data were obtained from TURKSTAT's “Cause of Death Statistics” database and classified according to age group, sex, marital status, educational level, cause, and method of suicide.</div><div>The annual crude suicide rate in Türkiye ranged between 3.94 and 5.22 per 100,000 population, with males consistently exhibiting a substantially higher mortality risk than females (6.84 vs. 2.14). Across specific age cohorts, sex-specific suicide rates peaked among young adult males aged 25–29 (11.27) and elderly males aged over 75 (11.98), whereas the highest rate among females was observed in the 15–19 age bracket (4.76). Disease-related factors represented the leading category among specified administrative causes (peaking at 1.31), while hanging emerged as the predominant method, accounting for 47.03% of all cumulative cases. By educational attainment, the highest longitudinal suicide rates over the decade were consistently documented among individuals with lower secondary (up to 8.32) and upper secondary education (up to 7.67).</div><div>These findings suggest that suicide mortality in Türkiye is associated with a complex interplay of systemic health problems, socioeconomic stressors, and distinct sociodemographic vulnerabilities rather than isolated psychiatric conditions. Consequently, integrating macro-level epidemiological insights and sociocultural dimensions into forensic medical evaluations can support the development of targeted public health interventions and evidence-based preventive policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49913,"journal":{"name":"Legal Medicine","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 102896"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148347151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}