Estimation of Stature Using Selected Hand Dimensions among Adolescents of Fulani Ethnic Group in Yola, Nigeria

Abstract

Stature (body height) is an important and useful anthropometric parameter for identification of an individual. Among the various parameters of identification, individual's stature is an inherent characteristic, the estimate of which is considered to be important in those cases where only fragmentary or mutilated remains of an unknown person are recovered. The objectives of this study were to determine sex differences among the participants from all the measured parameters (hand length, palm length and the lengths of the second, third, fourth and fifth digits), find the correlation between stature and all the measured hand dimensions and further establish linear regression equations, regression line graph and determine the accuracy rates (percentage) of the estimates by calculating the estimated stature from the actual stature. A total of 407 (181 males and 226 females) adolescent’s participants who were Fulani origin by both parents and grandparents attending the selected secondary schools and met all the inclusion criteria were selected and measured for each of the parameters. Stature was measured using stadiormeter and vernier caliper was used to measure the hand parameters. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20. P < 0.05 was considered significant. All the parameters showed significant correlation with stature at P < 0.01. Hand length showed the highest correlation value (r = 0.668), while fifth digit length had the least correlation value (r = 0.527). This study shows that stature and hand dimensions are sexually dimorphic with male participants having higher values of the measured parameters than the female participants. linear regression equations were formed for each of the parameters. Hand dimensions are considered as good source for estimating stature in forensic practice among
Fulani adolescents of Yola origin, Adamawa State of Nigeria.