Estimation of Stature from Arm Span, Arm length and Tibial Length among Adolescents of Age 15-18 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2020-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Stature/height is one of the most important variables used for identification of a person. Knowing the relationship between stature and different anatomical anthropometric parameters will aid forensic scientists, Anatomists and Medical scientists to estimate standing height from mutilated remains of body parts in forensic investigation. And it’s a necessity when measuring height is unenviable due to certain medical conditions and in field studies. There are multitude of studies done in different areas of the world on prediction of stature from arm span, arm length and tibial length in adults, but it’s rarely tried in adolescents and the situation is worse in our country. As my search has shown this study is the first of its kinds in addressing the issue in the area.
Methods: A high school based cross-sectional study was carried out among 416 High school students in Addis Ababa from May to June 2019. Stratified multi-stage sampling techniques were used to select the study participants. Anthropometric measurement including weight, height, arm span, arm length and tibial length was measured. Data entry was done by Epi-Data a version 4.4.3.1 and data analysis was carried out by SPSS for windows version 23. And regression models and multiplication factors were generated for estimation of height from anthropometric parameters.
Result: Out of the total participants 51.4% were females and 48.6% were males. The mean height of study participants was 164.36 ± 8.89 cm for males and 155.75 ± 5.86 for females. The correlation coefficients (R) of anatomical anthropometric measurements with height were: arm span (males R = 0.843, females R = 0.708), right arm length (males R = 0.806, females R = 0.635), left arm length (males R =0.813, females R = 0.636), right tibial length (males R = 0.738, females R = 0.611), and left tibial length (males R = 0.744, females R = 0.599).
Conclusion: The findings connotes that in circumstances where height cannot be measured, stature predicted from arm span, arm length, and tibial length is a valid indicator of height. Arm span was appeared to be the best predictor of stature.
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Stature, arm span, arm length, tibial length, estimation