Abstract:
Sex estimation is one of the most important aspect in forensic anthropology for Identification of unknown remain, especially dismemberment or mass disaster case which mutilated or fragmented remains are usually discover, is difficulties in establishing an identity of deceased. The acquired sex data were then used by investigators for narrowing down antemortem data which can be derived from the relative of the deceased before comparing to the postmortem data. This study aims to estimate sex using hand and foot measurements by measure external parts of the body in Thai population. Measurements were done in 400 subjects (200 males and 200 females), 20 - 60 year-old. The 8 parameters from hand and 3 parameters from foot were measured using Mitutoyo digital caliper and Paleo-tech osteometric board in SI unit with up to accuracy of 3 decimal. Collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22. Cut-off point, Logistic regression analysis and accuracy were performed for sex estimation. Highly significant sex difference was found in hand parameters and foot parameters with males larger than females (P < 0.01). Cut-off point from hand and foot measurements were used to determine sex with accuracy 76.25 93.5% and 79.5 93.75%, respectively. In test group, Accuracy of sex estimation from hand and foot measurements are 74 94% and 63 75%, respectively. Whereas, Logistic regression analysis of hand and foot measurements were used to determine sex with accuracy 92 93.5% and 94 96%, respectively. In test group, Accuracy of sex estimation from hand and foot measurements are 82 94% and 84%, respectively. Hand and foot parameters can be successfully applied to sex estimation in Thais with reasonable accuracy. Logistic regression analysis can determine sex with more accuracy than Cut-off point. Therefore, Logistic regression equation from this study should be used to estimate sex in Thais.