Suicidal hanging in Kuwait: retrospective analysis of cases from 2010 to 2012

Suicide is an important health hazard worldwide. We retrospectively analyzed the autopsy records of the Institute of Forensic Medicine between 2010 and 2012 to document the characteristics of fatalities resulting from hanging in Kuwait. Upon analysis of death scene investigation and autopsy reports together with the information gathered from the police, the cases of hanging fatalities of suicidal origin were selected. A retrospective study was carried out on 118 suicidal hanging cases autopsied at Forensic Medicine Center in Kuwait (from 2010 to 2012). Of these cases, 86 (73%) were males and 32 females (27%). There was an increasing trend of hanging among ages between 21 and 50 years (87.3%) and the third decade had the highest number of victims (about 43%) between all age groups. Local Kuwaiti nationals comprised a small proportion of cases (7 persons, 5.9%), while the others were foreigners working in Kuwait with an Indian precedence (54 persons, 54.8%), followed by other 12 different nationalities representing 39.3% of the cases. In conclusion, there was a decreasing trend of suicide by hanging in Kuwait from 44 cases in 2010 to 25 cases in 2012.