Vol. 1 No. 2 (2021): May-Aug
Original Articles

Wrist and Forehead Temperature Measurement as Screening Methods During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Imtinan Malawi
Emergency Department, King Fahd Medical City
Thamer Alsohabani
Emergency Department, King Fahd Medical City
Mashael Aleidan
Al Majmma University, AlMajmma
Nawa Al shahrani
King Khalid University, Abha
Adel Karairi
Emergency Department, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh
Bandr Mzahim
Emergency Department, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh
Sharafaldeen Bin Nafisah
Emergency Department, King Fahd Medical City, Riyadh

Published 2021-05-01

How to Cite

Malawi, I., Alsohabani, T. ., Aleidan, M. ., Al shahrani , N. ., Karairi, A., Mzahim, B., & Bin Nafisah, S. . (2021). Wrist and Forehead Temperature Measurement as Screening Methods During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Journal of Medicine, Law & Public Health, 1(2), 26–30. https://doi.org/10.52609/jmlph.v1i2.12

Abstract

Background: Temperature screening checkpoints have become widely distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic, using various contactless methods of temperature measurement, including wrist and forehead measurement. Aim: In this study we aim to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of these two temperature measurement methods – wrist and forehead – compared with the standards of sublingual or axillary measurement. We also aim to investigate the influence of age, gender, device brand and diurnal effect on the temperature reading. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, each group using a different temperature measurement device. All participants had their forehead and wrist temperature measured, and this was compared to their axillary or sublingual readings. Results: The area under the curve for wrist measurement was 0.49 (95% CI 0.34 and 0.64), p>0.05, with a sensitivity of 46.2% and specificity of 53.3%, while the area under the curve for forehead measurement was 0.70 (95% CI 0.51, 0.89), p<0.05, with a sensitivity of 23.1% and specificity of 76.9%, PPV 1.59% and NPV 97.7%. Conclusion: Wrist and forehead temperature measurement is not accurate in detecting fever during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although forehead measurement is also not an ideal method, it nevertheless appears more consistent than wrist measurement.