Distribution of Fingerprints Patterns among Non-Siblings, Gender and Sub-Ethnic Populations in Western Kenya

Abstract

Fingerprints are the most reliable biometric tools for individual identification. However, there is inconsistent information on association between gender, ethnicity and familial relationship status with fingerprint patterns. The study determined the distribution of fingerprint patterns in two sub-ethnic populations (Bukusu and Tachoni) of Western Kenya. Association between fingerprint patterns with individual digits, gender, sub-ethnic group and familial relationships was determined in a study population of 240 participants. A cross-sectional study was applied with clustered sampling technique. Demographic information was collected using a questionnaire. Fingerprint patterns were collected using fingerprint ink pad and analyzed according to Henry’s classification system. The association of fingerprint patterns with individual digits, gender, sub-ethnic groups, and familial relationship was determined using the Chi-square (χ2) test with statistical significance set at P≤0.05. No variation was observed in the frequency of arch, composite, loop, and whorl patterns across the five digits. Similarly, all fingerprint pattern frequencies did not vary with gender or sub-ethnic group (P>0.05). The frequencies of all fingerprint patterns were comparable across the right-hand digits (P = 0.736) and the left-hand digits (P = 0.937), respectively. However, when arch, composite, loop, and whorl patterns were compared between siblings and non-siblings, significant variations were observed on both right and left hand digits (P<0.05). The most prevalent fingerprint sub-pattern observed among the study participants was ulnar loop. The distribution of fingerprints patterns frequency across the ten digits, gender and sub-ethnic groups was not discriminatory. The significant variation in the frequency of fingerprint patterns among non-siblings is an important observation which makes fingerprints an important tool in discriminating among non-siblings.