Estimation of height from the lengths of second and fourth digits of hand in Gujarat region

Abstract

Introduction: Estimation of stature for personal identification forms a very important criteria in cases of incomplete skeletal and decomposed human parts. It is considered to be important in those cases where only fragmentary or mutilated remains of an unknown person are recovered as in murders, accidents, catastrophic events causing mass deaths from natural disasters. In the present study, the attempt has been made to correlate 2nd and 4th digits length with stature and derive a regression equation to calculate stature from 2nd and 4th digits length. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional sample of 500 (230 males & 270 females) asymptomatic healthy students between the age group of 18-24 years belonging to Gujarat were selected to measure height and correlate 2nd and 4th digits length with height ; from which we derive a regression equation to calculate height from 2nd and 4th digit length. Results: In present study the mean height of male and female is 163.48cm. The mean length of 2nd right is 6.99cm and that of 2nd left digit is 7.18cm. The mean length of 4th right digit is 7.15cm and that of 4th left digit is 7.11cm. Coefficient of variation of height is 5.34, of right 2nd digit is 6.90, of right 4th digit is 7.29, left 2nd digit is 7.63 and left 4th digit is 7.46. Conclusion: It is concluded that length of digits can provide good reliability in estimation of stature. From this study we can derive simple linear regression equation for estimation of height. Simple linear regression equation is found to be one of the essential tools in Medico Legal investigations and in anthropometry. Keywords: Height, 2nd and 4th digit, Correlation coefficient, Regression equation.