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Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa
Stature estimations from regression formulae are used by forensic anthropologists in constructing a biological profile from unidentified human remains. Regression formulae are used to calculate total skeletal height or living stature when incomplete, fragmentary or burned human remains are recovered...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Human Biology
2019
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| _version_ | 1867613190182928384 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Arendse, Liesl Margo |
| author2 | Friedling, Louise J |
| author_browse | Arendse, Liesl Margo Friedling, Louise J |
| author_facet | Friedling, Louise J Arendse, Liesl Margo |
| author_sort | Arendse, Liesl Margo |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Stature estimations from regression formulae are used by forensic anthropologists in constructing a biological profile from unidentified human remains. Regression formulae are used to calculate total skeletal height or living stature when incomplete, fragmentary or burned human remains are recovered. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of the total skeletal height regression formulae from (1) Lundy and Feldesman (1987), and (2) Dayal et al. (2008) when compared to total skeletal height from the full anatomical method (Fully’s method), in a contemporary South African population. The use of these regression formulae to estimate total skeletal height of South Africans of Mixed Ancestry was investigated as no population-specific standards exist for this group. Additionally, the reliability of the generic femur/stature ratio (Feldesman et al., 1990) to estimate living stature for all three population groups was investigated. Measurements were taken from 229 individuals comprising of South Africans of Mixed Ancestry, African Descent and European Descent from South African skeletal collections. ANOVA’s and paired t-tests were used to determined if there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between (1) estimated total skeletal height from regression formulae and that from Fully’s method, and (2) the estimated living stature from the femur/stature ratio and a calculated living stature from Fully’s total skeletal height with soft tissue and age correction factors. No significant difference (p>0.05) was found between South Africans of African Descent and Mixed Ancestry’s calculated total skeletal height, but both were significantly different (p<0.000) to individuals of European Descent. Results indicate that the Lundy and Feldesman (1987) regression formulae should be re-assessed for contemporary South Africans of African Descent and results from the Dayal et al. (2008) regression formulae indicate that the formulae are still relevant for contemporary South Africans of European Descent. Additionally, new regression formulae should be developed to enable forensic or physical anthropologists to estimate total skeletal height of Mixed Ancestry individuals. The femur/stature ratio’s living stature were significantly different (p<0.000) from the calculated living stature, and generally overestimated it for maximum femur lengths greater than 50cm. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/29177 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:12.136Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | Department of Human Biology |
| publisherStr | Department of Human Biology |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/29177 Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa Arendse, Liesl Margo Friedling, Louise J Anatomy Stature estimations from regression formulae are used by forensic anthropologists in constructing a biological profile from unidentified human remains. Regression formulae are used to calculate total skeletal height or living stature when incomplete, fragmentary or burned human remains are recovered. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of the total skeletal height regression formulae from (1) Lundy and Feldesman (1987), and (2) Dayal et al. (2008) when compared to total skeletal height from the full anatomical method (Fully’s method), in a contemporary South African population. The use of these regression formulae to estimate total skeletal height of South Africans of Mixed Ancestry was investigated as no population-specific standards exist for this group. Additionally, the reliability of the generic femur/stature ratio (Feldesman et al., 1990) to estimate living stature for all three population groups was investigated. Measurements were taken from 229 individuals comprising of South Africans of Mixed Ancestry, African Descent and European Descent from South African skeletal collections. ANOVA’s and paired t-tests were used to determined if there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between (1) estimated total skeletal height from regression formulae and that from Fully’s method, and (2) the estimated living stature from the femur/stature ratio and a calculated living stature from Fully’s total skeletal height with soft tissue and age correction factors. No significant difference (p>0.05) was found between South Africans of African Descent and Mixed Ancestry’s calculated total skeletal height, but both were significantly different (p<0.000) to individuals of European Descent. Results indicate that the Lundy and Feldesman (1987) regression formulae should be re-assessed for contemporary South Africans of African Descent and results from the Dayal et al. (2008) regression formulae indicate that the formulae are still relevant for contemporary South Africans of European Descent. Additionally, new regression formulae should be developed to enable forensic or physical anthropologists to estimate total skeletal height of Mixed Ancestry individuals. The femur/stature ratio’s living stature were significantly different (p<0.000) from the calculated living stature, and generally overestimated it for maximum femur lengths greater than 50cm. 2019-01-30T06:14:05Z 2019-01-30T06:14:05Z 2018 2019-01-25T10:28:50Z Master Thesis Masters MSc (Med) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29177 eng application/pdf Department of Human Biology Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Anatomy Arendse, Liesl Margo Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa |
| title_full | Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa |
| title_short | Stature estimation: evaluating regression equations for different population groups in South Africa |
| title_sort | stature estimation evaluating regression equations for different population groups in south africa |
| topic | Anatomy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29177 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arendselieslmargo statureestimationevaluatingregressionequationsfordifferentpopulationgroupsinsouthafrica |