Estimation of stature from hand and handprint measurements in the monoethnic Maldivian population in Maldives

Abstract

Estimation of stature among a selected specific population may prove useful via anthropometric measurements of hand and handprints. Since studies conducted in several monoethnic countries (e.g. Korea, Bangladesh and China) have reported about its usefulness, and because similar study in Maldives remains unreported, this present research that evaluated such aspect merits forensic significance. Using stratified random sampling, this present research examined the standing height as well as 22 anthropometric measurements from each hand and handprints collected from consented male (n = 191) and female (n = 193) Maldivians living in Maldives. The data were analysed using both the univariate and multivariate statistical analyses for interpreting the obtained anthropometric measurements and its association in estimating stature. The outcomes of simple linear regression analysis provided, significant (p < 0.05) and a moderate to highly correlated (range: 0.61 – 0.70) regression equations for hand lengths of both hands and handprints of Maldivian males and females for accurate estimation of their stature. The precision of the estimated stature (Standard Error of Estimate, SEE) using the derived equations of this research ranged between 3.82 - 5.76 cm. Furthermore, stepwise multiple regression analysis provided improved accuracy to the equation (SEE: 3.82 - 5.76 cm). The data gathered here are the first of its kind for the Maldivian population and may prove forensically relevant in crime scene investigation and disaster victim identification, a pragmatic approach for estimating stature from forensic anthropological means.