Sex and stature estimation using hand and handprint measurements in a Western Australian population

Personal identification of human remains is an imperative element in most forensic investigations. Forensic anthropologists have an important role, to facilitate the identification of human remains in those investigations. With the increased number of mass disasters, homicides and accidents, the identification of remains can be problematic when the deceased can no longer be recognized, due to the nature of the injuries sustained. The aim of the present thesis was to develop standards to estimate sex and stature from hand and handprint measurements specifically for a Western Australian population. Stature and sex estimation standards formulated from different parts of the skeleton or body limbs, including the hand, are useful towards establishing personal identity. The sample analysed comprised 91 males and 110 females (a total of 210 adult subjects). Seven measurements were collected from the hand: hand breadth and length; palm and thumb length; and index, middle and ring finger lengths. The corresponding measurements were also collected for handprints. Sex was analysed using linear discriminant function analyses and stature was analysed using simple linear and multiple regression analyses. It was found that all hand and handprint measurements were significantly larger in males compared to females (p <0.05). Those measurements were also found to be bilaterally symmetrical, except for the hand (male and female) and handprint (female only) breadth measurements in which the significant differences were relatively small (<0.08cm).