Understanding Skeletal Injury Patterns in Falls From Heights

Data was collected at the San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office and included a sample of 81 individuals between the ages of 18 and 92 years that had a cause of death related to a fall. Demographic variables and information regarding the death event were collected to ensure a holistic framework for interpretation. Multiple image modalities were used to identify the presence or absence of fractures per bone, which led to an additional value of total elements fractured per person. Statistical analyses were conducted to better understand the simple and multivariate relationships. In contrast to expected results, the findings indicate a stronger influence of extrinsic variables on overall traumatic injuries while the relationship between intrinsic variables and fractured elements per individual did not have a significant relationship. This research is demonstrative of comprehensive and multidisciplinary explorations of injury patterns to facilitate the forensic anthropological interpretations and to inform death investigative procedures.

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Kominek , Sonia Michel

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Scott, Richard G.
• Stull, Kyra E.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Vaczi, Mariann

• Blunt Force Trauma
• Death Investigation
• Falls
• Intersectionality

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11714/10853

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/10853