Coronial
WAhome

Inquest into the Death of Marlene Faye Ware

Deceased

Marlene Faye Ware

Demographics

56y, female

Date of death

2002-11-24

Finding date

2004-11-09

Cause of death

Cardiac Failure Secondary to Atherosclerotic Heart Disease, Systemic Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus

AI-generated summary

Marlene Faye Ware, a 56-year-old Aboriginal woman serving home detention for traffic offences, collapsed suddenly at home on 24 November 2002 and died in the Emergency Department of Royal Perth Hospital. She had Type II Diabetes Mellitus, was a long-time smoker, obese, and had abnormal lipid levels. Her general practitioner diagnosed congestive cardiac failure in September 2002 and treated her appropriately. The coroner found her death was consistent with cardiac failure secondary to atherosclerotic heart disease, systemic hypertension, and diabetes. Home detention was deemed appropriate and there were no clinical failures. The coroner expressed concern about Aboriginal health disparities and Aboriginal cultural objections to internal post-mortem examination, and recommended the Department of Justice consider facilitating communication between community GPs and custodial health practitioners regarding Aboriginal prisoners' medical information.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.

Contributing factors

  • Type II Diabetes Mellitus
  • long-term smoking
  • obesity
  • abnormal serum lipid levels
  • congestive cardiac failure

Coroner's recommendations

  1. The Department of Justice could obtain information of benefit to researchers by requesting the consent of prisoners to communication of medication information between prisoners' known general practitioners and Department of Justice medical practitioners for the purposes of care of Aboriginal prisoners when in custody, as part of the contract when a prisoner is released but still subject to supervision.
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