Average 26.6 Days to Discover Solitary Death
About Half Discovered by Landlords
Alcohol Detected in 0.03% or More in 63% of Cases
A study revealed that the highest proportion of people who died alone in South Korea were men in their 50s. By gender, men were more than five times as many as women, and it took an average of about 26.6 days for the bodies of those who died alone to be discovered.
According to academia on the 15th, Professor Naju-Young of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Pusan National University School of Medicine published a paper titled "A Study on Solitary Deaths in South Korea Based on Forensic Autopsy Data" in the latest issue of the Korean Journal of Health and Social Welfare. Professor Na conducted the study based on 664 forensic autopsy cases carried out from 2017 to 2021. Forensic autopsy data include police investigation records and autopsy results and are known to be the most accurate data explaining the cause of death.
Solitary death refers to a death in which a person living in social isolation, cut off from family, relatives, and others around them, dies from suicide, illness, or other causes, and the body is discovered after a certain period of time.
Analysis showed that there were a total of 128 cases (19.3%) where solitary death bodies were found more than three days after death. Among them, 108 were men, more than five times the number of women (20). By age, those in their 50s were the most common with 51 cases (39.8%), followed by 60s with 30 cases (23.4%), 40s with 28 cases (21.9%), and 20s with 2 cases (1.6%). Combining gender and age, men in their 50s were the largest group with 44 cases (35.4%).
It was analyzed that it took an average of 26.6 days for the bodies of solitary deaths to be discovered after death. More than half of solitary death cases (65 cases) were discovered by neighbors, building managers, or landlords. Many were reported due to foul odors during the decomposition stage or were found when someone came to collect management fees or rent.
The most common reason for solitary death victims being socially isolated during their lifetime was "health problems" (61 cases, 55%), with 43 cases specifically identified as related to alcohol issues. In fact, an alcohol concentration of 0.03% or higher was confirmed in 63% of solitary death victims. Economic problems (31 cases, 2.9%) and family issues such as domestic violence (19 cases, 17.1%) were also counted as causes. Additionally, about half of those who died alone were found to be divorced or separated.
Professor Na explained that men in their 50s being the most common group for solitary deaths could be emphasized by the fact that this age group is not accustomed to health management and household chores and experiences a sharp decline in life satisfaction due to unemployment and divorce. He also stressed the need for mutually organic social measures addressing solitary death and alcohol disorders.
Meanwhile, according to the "Solitary Death Status Survey" announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2022, the number of solitary death cases from 2017 to 2021 totaled 15,066, increasing at an average annual rate of 8.8% over five years.
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