Using CT scans of deceased children to investigate the impact of mortality bias on interpretations of age and growth in forensic and bioarchaeological applications

Mortality bias is the concept that because non-survivors have passed away, they may be the frailest or most vulnerable members of a population. Thus, they may not accurately represent the biology of the whole population to which they belonged. However, these deceased individuals are precisely the ones examined by physical anthropologists working in both archaeological and forensic contexts. This study aims to estimate how much of an impact mortality bias could have on interpretations of growth, health and age at death from juvenile skeletal remains. This will be achieved by using a sample of CT scans taken of modern children. Developmental status will be assessed and then compared between groups of children meant to represent those of a normal modern population, an archaeological population, and a forensic population. This study will either strengthen skeletal analysis as conducted today, or provide incentive and a framework to develop more robust methods.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hugo Cardoso

Student:

Partner:

Monash University (Clayton, Australia)

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program: