Spousal homicide and suicide in Quebec

[摘要] Domestic violence is a cause for major concern in psychiatry today, yet little is known about the amplitude and dynamics of spousal homicide and extended suicide. Within the jurisdiction of the Quebec Coroner`s Office, the investigation files on all consecutive cases of deceased victims of intrafamilial violence occurring between 1991 and 1998 were reviewed. Using a validated checklist, a variety of variables were systematically collected and reviewed for descriptive analysis. Three hundred eighty-eight cases of death were studied. Of this sample, 145 cases (37.4%) concerned victims of conjugal homicide. Fifty-eight cases (40.01%) concerned victims whose homicidal spouses subsequently killed themselves. Suicidal offenders were more likely to be men, to be estranged from their spouse through separation, and, most often, to have used a firearm in the commission of the extended homicide-suicide. The majority of offenders suffered from clinical symptoms of depression. This study emphasizes the need to develop a detailed tool to assist coroners in the field and police investigators with the gathering of specific information that will be of use to clinical researchers.

[学科分类] 儿科学

[关键词] Phytophthora cinnamomi;soil moisture;soil water table