Application of qualitative and quantitative techniques to estimate the sex of Brazilian skulls and mandibles

Abstract

Estimating sex in human skulls is an essential step in forensic identification. The combined application of qualitative and quantitative techniques allows for greater accuracy, especially in specific populations such as the Brazilian one, characterized by great biological diversity. Considering the ethnic and geographic diversity of Brazil, this study aims to conduct a comparative assessment of accuracy for sex estimation applicable to the Brazilian population. The research was conducted with 96 skulls and 96 mandibles from the collection of the Federal University of São Paulo, using two distinct methods: the qualitative (anthroposcopy) method and the quantitative (anthropometric) method. Although qualitative and quantitative analyses are constantly discussed, there is a lack of comparison between analyses in the Brazilian population. The qualitative analysis had a 73.00 % accuracy rate with a 0.524 kappa coefficient, while the quantitative method had an 82.00 % overall accuracy, with greater sensitivity for females (95.00 %). The variables Maxium Cranial Length (GOL), Basion-Bregma Height (BBH), and Bizygomatic Width (ZYB) (skull), as well as Bigonial Width (BGB) and Right Mandibular Ramus Height (MRHd) (mandible), showed greater discriminatory capacity according to the area under the ROC curve. The research highlights that, although the qualitative method is traditionally accepted and of practical application, it is more subject to interobserver errors, while the quantitative method offers greater standardization and precision, being useful mainly in forensic contexts that require objective and statistically based data. It is concluded that. Quantitative and qualitative findings indicate the need for additional research to validate new methods and improve outcomes for the Brazilian population. Hence, they should be applied to local population samples for greater reliability in forensic results.