Gender Determination Using Hand Parameters: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study in Iraq

Abstract

Background: Hand parameters have been suggested to be useful indicators for gender identification. Objective: To detect gender from hand parameters in a sample of Iraqi individuals. Methods: Hand parameters (hand length, width, hand index, index and ring lengths, and index to ring ratio) of 100 participants were measured using traditional techniques. The data were tested statistically using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Females display a higher 2D/4D ratio compared to males. In contrast, males show a higher hand index compared to females. The study proposes a 2D/4D cutoff point of 0.9722, where a ratio < 0.9722 was regarded as male and a ratio ≥ 0.9722 was regarded as female. Alternatively, a hand index (HI) cutoff point was 40.2154, where an HI > 40.215 was regarded as male and an HI ≤ 40.215 was regarded as female. Consequently, the study verifies that hand parameters can be used for gender determination in medical legal examinations. Conclusion: Hand parameters may be valuable indicators of sexual dimorphism in medico-legal examination and may have a great implication in cases of natural disasters and wars when an isolated hand is subjected to examination.