Drowning accidents and alcohol
Bollerslev, J.; Simonsen, J.; Vaedele, J.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 143(6): 364-366
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 7210248 Document Number: 175807
During the 1976-1978, 517 persons over the age of 15 yr drowned in Denmark. Of these, 300 were suicides, 176 were definite accidents and in 41 cases, the mode of death was not elucidated. In 34% of the accidents and in 54% of the cases with unknown mode of death, the individual concerned was under the influence of alcohol. These figures must be regarded as minimum figures as the possibilities for medico-legal investigation were insufficiently used in many cases so that analysis for alcohol was only undertaken in 78 cases (36%) and autopsy was only undertaken in 61% of the cases in which the mode of death was not elucidated. In the accidental cases, the frequency of influence of alcohol appears to be highest during the ages below 45 yr while the frequency in relation to age was more uniform in the group in which the mode of death was not elucidated. In professional seamen, no cases of drowning combined with the influence of alcohol occurred during work; all of those who drowned during leisure time were under the influence of alcohol. Drowning accidents during amateur sailing in connection with the influence of alcohol appear to occur to a particularly great extent.