Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Monkeypox Virus among Physicians in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The growing incidence of human monkeypox cases emphasizes the significance of prevention, early detection, and prompt responses for healthcare providers. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward monkeypox infection among physicians, a frontline healthcare worker group, in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey assessing knowledge and attitudes towards monkeypox infection on multiple-item scales was sent to physicians in Saudi Arabia. The associations between independent factors and either knowledge or attitude were assessed. The final analysis included 398 participants. Approximately 55% of the surveyed participants had a “good knowledge” score about human monkeypox. The adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that being a female physician, working in the private sector, and having information on human monkeypox during medical school or residency years were the only factors associated with a good level of knowledge about human monkeypox. However, physicians’ knowledge and attitudes regarding monkeypox infection are inadequate and influenced by various factors. There is a significant knowledge gap between the therapeutic management of monkeypox and its vaccination. Training and knowledge assessments are important, especially when studies show significant improvement in related and specific knowledge.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Turkish Physicians towards Human Monkeypox Disease and Related Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Our study found that males possessed low levels of general knowledge about the monkeypox virus. Consistent with our research, Alshahrani et al achieved comparable results, reporting that female Saudi physicians had significantly better knowledge scores about the monkeypox virus than their male counterparts [ 18 ]. However, our study’s findings contradicted those of Sallam et al They observed that male HCWs were significantly more knowledgeable about monkeypox than their female counterparts [ 24 ].…”

“…According to a WHO report, one of the obstacles in preventing the resurgence of monkeypox was a lack of knowledge about monkeypox, especially among healthcare workers (HCWs) [ 17 ]. Another recent study demonstrated that only 18.6% of HCWs reported having some knowledge of managing monkeypox [ 18 ]. Since Turkey is a popular tourist destination, physicians must be prepared and knowledgeable about cases of monkeypox to develop a global strategy to combat the emergence of monkeypox.…”

Public Knowledge and Perceptions about the Emerging Human Mpox in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Mpox is generally a self-limited disease [ 5 ]. Its clinical presentation is comparable to but less severe than smallpox [ 5 ].…”

“…Mpox is generally a self-limited disease [ 5 ]. Its clinical presentation is comparable to but less severe than smallpox [ 5 ]. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and back pain, fatigue, and skin rash, which can be very itchy and painful [ 3 ].…”

Level of Knowledge Regarding Mpox among Peruvian Physicians during the 2022 Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Other authors have reported lower levels of knowledge, such as Harapan et al, whose study revealed that 9.0% of physicians in Indonesia had good mpox knowledge when they used an 80% cutoff point, reaching a percentage of 36.5% when the cutoff was reduced to 70% [ 10 ]. On the other hand, Alshahrani et al reported that 55% of physicians had good knowledge of mpox in Saudi Arabia, a level that was considered poor by the authors [ 25 ].…”