Inaccurate readings have the potential to lead to worse health outcomes for Black patients. Julia Ries is a writer focusing on all things health and wellness. She has over 10 years of experience ...

A new study finds that temporal thermometers – used to measure body temperature on the forehead – may be less accurate than oral thermometers at detecting fevers among hospitalized Black patients.

For Black patients, the chances of detecting a fever with a forehead thermometer was 26 percent lower than with an oral thermometer. There were no significant differences for white patients.