Research on the outdoor mortality risk in older adults with dementia based on forensic autopsy information

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K02086
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08010:Sociology-related
• Research Institution: Kawasaki Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Masanobu Miura 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (80616235)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 谷口 香 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (40599784)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 屋外での外因死 / 法医剖検情報

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on forensic autopsy information, we conducted a descriptive-epidemiological study of the actual situation when dementia patients died outdoors due to external causes: out of a total of 2,142 forensic autopsies conducted at Okayama University over a 10-year period from 2008 to 2017, there were 141 cases of dementia and death due to external causes, and of these, 77 deaths occurred outdoors. The most common place of death was water (natural water or irrigation water) in 52 cases, followed by roads in 10 cases, and mountains or forests in 8 cases. Drowning was the most common cause of death (44 cases), followed by injury (15 cases) and hypothermia (9 cases). Forty-eight (62.3) died within 1 km of their homes. The study revealed that most of the outdoor deaths of dementia patients occurred in water near their homes.

Free Research Field

法医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症患者が屋外での外因死のリスクについては、本邦における報告は極めて少ない。これについては、国土事情や交通事情などが異なる海外における報告をそのまま適用することは適切でないと考えられ、本邦独自の調査が求めらている。本研究成果により屋外における認知症患者の死亡リスクがどこにあるのかを明らかにすることができた。こういった情報の積み重ねにより、高齢化をむかえた本邦において、高齢者がより安全に生活するために行政等がどのようなポイントに気を配るべきかを明らかにすることができると期待される。