Knowledge & perception of general population on forensic autopsy in Ahmedabad city

Abstract

The Autopsy is beneficial in determining, the cause of death, time since death, validity of therapeutic modalities, potential medico-legal issues surrounding death and providing data on disease & injury. This cross-sectional study was carried out on a general population of Ahmedabad City with the help of questionnaires specially prepared in vernacular language i.e. Gujarati. We observed that overall awareness is quite good regarding the aims and objectives of postmortem examination in the general population. But general populations have poor knowledge about legal procedure regarding post mortem examination. Among the respondents who rejected autopsy, most of them feared of disfigurement of the body of their near ones, followed by delays in funeral, the involvement of police/court & fear of removal of the organs. Refusal on the religious ground was the least common reason cited by the participants. People have to be made aware of the process and importance of a medico-legal autopsy by various programs & seminars so that the relatives won’t resist autopsy of their near ones.