Medico-legal autopsies in Denmark.

INTRODUCTION

At 2.7% in 1970, the Danish medico-legal autopsy frequency was lower than recent frequencies observed in the Nordic countries (4-24%). The aim of this study was to analyse trends in the number and frequency of Danish medico-legal autopsies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data were collected from the computerized archives in the Danish departments of forensic medicine, Statistics Denmark and the Danish National Board of Health.

RESULTS

During the 1996-2005 study period, a total of 14,990 medico-legal autopsies were performed. This yielded a medico-legal autopsy frequency of between 2.4% and 2.8%. Our results revealed a certain constancy in the number of medico-legal autopsies and frequency of autopsy with regard to manner of death, sex and number, but we also observed changes in the age composition which involved a decrease in the proportion of young (20-39 years) and an increase in the proportion of middle-aged persons (40-59 years).

CONCLUSION

Denmark has a lower autopsy frequency than other Nordic countries and this may constitute a problem for quality of death-statistics and research based on autopsy results. If the patterns in medico-legal autopsy frequencies continue, a decrease in the number of medico-legal autopsies is to be expected. As a consequence, education and training of forensic pathologists may be impaired.