Pattern of coroners' autopsies at Ring Road State Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria: a retrospective study (1994-2000)

This study reviews 1,993 coroners' autopsies performed at the Adeoyo and Ring Road State Hospitals, Ibadan, over a seven-year period (January 1994 to December 2000). The most common indication for a coroner's autopsy was accidental death (59.6%), followed by homicidal death (20.7%), sudden natural death (11.6%), maternal death (1.4%) and suicidal death (0.4%). The overall male to female ratio was 2.8:1 and the majority of victims were in the fourth decade of life. Road traffic accidents were the leading cause of accidental death. Homicidal deaths were 9.3 times more common in male than female victims and the most common mode of death was firearm injuries. In contrast to an earlier study from University College Hospital, Ibadan, the present study has revealed a predominance of accidental and homicidal deaths, with a relatively lower rate of maternal deaths.