Knowledge of Medical Students Towards the Re-emergence of Human Monkeypox Virus

Assessment of MPOX infection-related knowledge levels, concerns, and associated factors: a community-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

MPOX (Monkeypox) is a zoonotic disease of increasing global concern due to its re-emergence and potential for human-to-human transmission. Effective public health interventions rely on understanding socio-demographic determinants of knowledge and perceptions of the disease. This study aimed to investigate MPOX-related knowledge and concerns among a diverse sample in Türkiye, identifying key factors influencing knowledge levels.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 participants aged 18-73 years (mean age: 33.8 ± 15.6) in all settlements of Türkiye. Socio-demographic data were collected, and MPOX knowledge and concerns were assessed using a structured data form. To assess knowledge levels regarding MPOX, 15 questions were defined with 1 point given for each correct answer, and these questions were then categorized as high knowledge (≥ 10 correct answers) and low knowledge (< 10 correct answers). Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with knowledge levels. Trust and reliance on information sources were also evaluated. The data form was distributed to participants via social media platforms.

RESULTS

The majority of participants (97.1%) were aware of MPOX, but only 6.5% believed adequate precautions were in place. The mean knowledge score was 7.6 ± 3.7, with 37.7% demonstrating high knowledge. In terms of concerns about MPOX, only 31.6% of participants were identified as concerned, whereas the majority (68.4%) of the participants reported no significant concerns. The most trusted source of information about MPOX among the participants was medical doctors and healthcare professionals, as indicated by 53.63% of respondents. Low knowledge was significantly associated with older age (p = 0.015), female gender (p = 0.002), lower education levels (p < 0.001), non-medical fields (p < 0.001), and lower income (p < 0.001). Social media (53.11%) was the most common information source, yet healthcare professionals (53.63%) were the most trusted. Multivariable logistic regression confirmed that being in non-medical fields (OR = 2.858, 95% CI: 1.809-4.515, p < 0.001), lower income (OR = 3.141, 95% CI: 2.015-4.896, p < 0.001), and perceived low immunity (OR = 2.264, 95% CI: 1.350-3.797, p = 0.002) independently predicted lower knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite high awareness, significant gaps in MPOX knowledge exist, particularly among older adults, females, non-medical professionals, and those with low income. Public health strategies should prioritize these groups, leveraging trusted sources like healthcare professionals while improving the reliability of digital information platforms.

The willingness of healthcare workers to be vaccinated against monkeypox and their knowledge about monkeypox: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Vaccination is an important method to address the monkeypox epidemic. We aimed to analyze the knowledge of healthcare workers (HCWs) about human monkeypox and their attitudes toward vaccination.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for articles and performed a meta-analysis using Stata 14.0 with a random-effects model. This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement.

Results

A total of 34 studies with 43,226 HCWs were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that 54 % (95 % CI: 0.39-0.69) of the HCWs were willing to be vaccinated against monkeypox, and only 40 % (95 % CI: 0.29-0.50) of the HCWs had good knowledge of monkeypox. By analyzing the vaccination history of HCWs, we found that history of smallpox vaccination did not significantly affect the willingness of HCWs to receive another vaccination (OR = 0.53, 95 % CI: 0.23-1.26), whereas HCWs who had been vaccinated with the influenza vaccine (OR = 2.80, 95 % CI: 1.29-6.11) or COVID-19 vaccine (OR = 3.10, 95 % CI: 2.00-4.81) showed greater willingness to receive the monkeypox vaccine. In terms of income, low-income HCWs were less willing to be vaccinated against monkeypox (OR = 0.69, 95 % CI: 0.54-0.89), whereas middle-income HCWs were more willing (OR = 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.04-2.02). Notably, although HCWs with education related to monkeypox had better knowledge of monkeypox than HCWs without education related to monkeypox, the difference was not statistically significant (OR = 1.83, 95 % CI: 0.80-4.18).

Conclusions

Publicity and education on monkeypox should be strengthened so that more people, especially HCWs, can have a good understanding of monkeypox and be willing to be vaccinated.

Knowledge, Attitude and Associated Factors of Monkeypox Infection Among Healthcare Workers in Injibara General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Background

Fighting health threats, especially the rise of new infectious diseases, is one of the main responsibilities of healthcare workers. However, their knowledge and attitudes toward monkeypox have not yet been assessed. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and factors associated with monkeypox infection among healthcare workers at Injibara General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 1-30, 2022. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed. The degree of association was interpreted using an odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value < 0.05.

Results

Among the 200 healthcare workers who participated, 38.5% (95% CI: 32.5%-45%) and 62% (95% CI: 55-68.5%) had good knowledge and positive attitudes regarding monkeypox respectively. Having a master's degree or above (AOR = 11.25: 95% CI: 2.03-62.33), being vaccinated against COVID-19 (AOR = 2.60: 95% CI: 1.37-4.94), and having access to information about monkeypox (AOR = 3.37: 95% CI: 1.33-8.50) were the factors associated with good knowledge. Furthermore, a positive attitude was significantly associated with being 30 years of age or older (AOR = 2.95: 95% CI: 1.55-5.60) and having access to information about monkeypox (AOR = 4.14: 95% CI: 2.06, 8.30).

Conclusion

Both good knowledge and positive attitudes were relatively low among healthcare workers. Factors such as age, education level, COVID-19 vaccination status, and access to information about monkeypox were significantly associated with the knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers. To enhance the knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers, hospitals should consider offering educational upgrades, hosting educational events like seminars, conferences, webinars, and campaigns, and ensuring comprehensive coverage of the topic in medical curricula.