Sex determination from hand dimensions and digital distal phalanx measurements to the iraqi population residing in Baghdad

In cases of terrorist attacks, mass disasters and criminal cases, the identification process of dismembered human remains is very important and may be a difficult task for forensic experts and investigators. Sex determination for amputated or dismembered human remains can reduce the time and effort of forensic experts and investigators and narrows down the range of possible matching. In this study, Digital distal phalanx dimensions and hand breadth of both hands for a total of 100 males and 100 females were measured. All participants are resident in Baghdad city, Iraq. A discriminant function analysis was used to assess the variable discrimination accuracy. Sliding digital caliper was used to take the measurements for all participants. The caliper was standardized and all the measurements were recorded by one expert. The results showed that males measurements for all recorded variables were found significantly higher than females (p<0.05). The discriminant function analysis showed that the gender discrimination accuracy of Digital Distal Phalange demarking point's ranging between (male 77.8% -93.1%; female 66.4% - 93.6%); while of Hand breadth demarking points ranging between (90.0% -93.6%). The stepwise discriminant analysis models show higher gender discrimination accuracy ranging between (male 82.6% - 91.0%; female 82.7% - 98.2%). It can be concluded that digital distal phalanx measurements and hand breadth are easily accessible, and can be used in sex determination to help in the identification process for dismembered human remains, that includes dismembered hands, that found in the terrorist, mass disasters or criminal situations crime scene.