Osteometric indices have a direct relationship with sex, height, age and race of an individual. These factors play a pivotal role in the identification of an individual. There are very few reports in Ghana on the use of bones for personal identification as compared to the developed world. Therefore the present study sought to use the ulna and femur as models for height and sex determination. One hundred undergraduate students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi made up of 55% males and 45% females between the ages of 18 -45 years were recruited for the study. The total standing height, ulnar and femoral lengths were measured. The data was analysed using excel and SPSS version 20.0. In the present study, males were taller than females (p < 0.05). Ulnar and femoral lengths were significantly higher in the male participants than in the females. Ulnar length was the better index for estimating height and the right femoral length was the better model for sex determination in the participants. Therefore the ulnar and right femoral lengths can serve as preliminary useful tools for height and sex determination. The results of this study serve as baseline data for future studies.

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Facial indices are among the most important cephalometric parameters useful in inter-racial and intra-racial morphological classification and categorization. As such, facial parameters serve as prominent identification tools in combination with fingerprint patterns for biometric and forensic purposes in the developed world. However in Ghana, although emphasis is placed on the face in the photographic recognition systems used in the issuance of passports, very little information is available on metric facial data, facial types and their distribution patterns and their association with ethnicity, sex and age. Therefore the aim of this study is to generate baseline data on facial dimensions and their relationship with height, age and sex of the Sisaalas and Dagaabas of the Upper West Region of Ghana. A total of 387 healthy individuals (202 females and 185 males), between 18 -60 years of age were recruited for the study. The results of the study showed that male facial parameters had significantly higher dimensions than those of the female participants.

Height is an important anthropometric tool and most popular characteristic parameter employed in human identification. However, body height cannot always be ascertained by direct measurement due to various deformities of the extremities in patients with injuries. There is accumulating evidence to demonstrate the use of arm span measurements in the estimation of height but there is very little information on the use of arm span measurements in Ghana. Therefore, this study sought to determine the relationship between height, arm span and sex as well as the correlational efficiency of using arm span as a surrogate for height. This cross-sectional study recruited 716 participants [328 males and 388 females] aged 18 to 30 years. Ethical approval and informed participant consent were sought. Male participants were taller and had wider arm span than the females with a statistically significant value [p < 0.001]. The results also showed that, the mean arm span measurement was higher than the mean height measurement with values of males [arm span: 180.57 cm; height: 170.79 cm] and females [arm span: 168.60 cm; height: 161.19 cm]. There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation [p < 0.001] between the arm span and height in the male, female and pooled sample with “r” values of 0.815, 0.788 and 0.873 respectively. Sex-specific equations to predict height from arm span measurements among Ghanaians were established. This study has developed sex specific equations to predict height from arm span measurements and has proved that arm span can effectively predict height using regression equations. KEY WORDS: Height, Arm Span, Ghana, Identification, Forensic, Anthropometry.

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Background Growth and development of craniofacial structures are of importance since their anthropometry is useful in maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, orthodontics and forensic medicine. Surgeons consider the specific facial structures of such patients to help obtain accurate results. Ghana is however less-endowed with data regarding facial anthropometry for the aforementioned applications. Therefore, the study aimed to bring out the differences between the facial measurements of the male and female participants in order to generate baseline data for Ghanaians, taking into consideration the Bonos and Ewes living in the Bono region of Ghana. Twenty-four anthropometric facial measurements were taken from a total of 291 healthy individuals (152 Bonos and 139 Ewes), aged 18–60 years using Shahe Vernier callipers. Results The study revealed Bono males had significantly longer faces than that of the Bono females (upper face height 2 and total face height). For maxillary height, mandibular width and mouth width, the mean values of Bono males were significantly greater than that of the Ewe males. There was a statistically significant difference concerning nasal length and anatomical nose width among the participants (p < 0.05). Bono male participants had significantly greater values than Ewe males in both endocanthion-exocanthion and endocanthion-endocanthion measurements. Conclusions The results of this study support the assertion regarding the existence of tribal variations and sexual dimorphism associated with facial measurements and have provided additional data for facial morphology for biometric and forensic applications as well as facial reconstruction especially among the study populations in Ghana.