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Yu L, Shen Y, Liu M, Ma J, Long J, Zheng D. Evaluation of monkeypox knowledge and attitudes among Chinese medical students. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:745. [PMID: 38459436 PMCID: PMC10921768 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus and is increasingly recognized as a serious public health concern worldwide. Our aim was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of Chinese medical students regarding monkeypox. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 8,897 college students from China. An e-questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge (17 items), attitudes (12 items), and baseline criteria. The relationships between a range of factors and knowledge and attitudes were studied using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS A total of 79.33% of the study participants were female, 89.10% were of Han ethnicity, 72.50% were from rural areas, 50.39% were in their first year, and 80.65% were medical majors. A total of 50.88% had good knowledge of monkeypox, and 57.11% had a positive attitude towards monkeypox knowledge. Univariate analysis revealed that origin and major were the factors affecting the knowledge level of monkeypox among participants. Rural students had more knowledge of monkeypox than urban students, and nonmedical students had greater awareness of monkeypox than did medical students. Moreover, sex and grade were the factors influencing participants' attitudes towards monkeypox; men had more positive attitudes than women did, and senior students had more positive attitudes than junior students did. Multivariate analysis revealed that major and the origin of the students independently influenced the monkeypox knowledge of Chinese medical students, while sex, grade and monkeypox knowledge were significantly related to attitudes towards monkeypox. CONCLUSION This study revealed that nearly half of the Chinese medical students had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards monkeypox. Student origin and major independently influenced the knowledge of Chinese medical students of monkeypox, while sex, grade and knowledge were independently related to the attitudes of Chinese medical students towards monkeypox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliang Yu
- Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Shen
- Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Liu
- Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing, China
| | - Junchun Ma
- Wanzhou District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiang Long
- Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing, China
| | - Daikun Zheng
- Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing, China.
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Abd ElHafeez S, Gebreal A, Khalil MA, Youssef N, Sallam M, Elshabrawy A, Abdel-Rahman S, Mahboob AS, Yazbek S, Elbanna EH, Adhyaru R, Rodoshi ZN, Kih YS, Jawad H, Kolotouros E, Jaworski A, AlQarni G, Gablan M, Condurat A, Elden AESSN, Bennani O, Rawat K, Ismail A, Al-Hajj Y, Elehamer NMK, Nagi J, Admassu H, Al Asaad SH, Duvuru R, Ogunlana O, Alosaimi B, Ghazy RM. Assessing disparities in medical students' knowledge and attitude about monkeypox: a cross-sectional study of 27 countries across three continents. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1192542. [PMID: 37575128 PMCID: PMC10415161 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1192542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aims The recent monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the importance of evaluating the knowledge and attitude of medical students toward emerging diseases, given their potential roles as healthcare professionals and sources of public information during outbreaks. This study aimed to assess medical students' knowledge and attitude about Mpox and to identify factors affecting their level of knowledge and attitude in low-income and high-income countries. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 11,919 medical students from 27 countries. A newly-developed validated questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge (14 items), attitude (12 items), and baseline criteria. The relationship between a range of factors with knowledge and attitude was studied using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results 46% of the study participants were males; 10.7% were in their sixth year; 54.6% knew about smallpox; 84% received the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine; and 12.5% had training on Mpox. 55.3% had good knowledge of Mpox and 51.7% had a positive attitude towards it. Medical students in their third, fifth, or sixth year high- income countries who obtained information on Mpox from friends, research articles, social media and scientific websites were positive predictors for good knowledge. Conversely, being male or coming from high-income countries showed a negative relation with good knowledge about Mpox. Additionally, a positive attitude was directly influenced by residing in urban areas, being in the fifth year of medical education, having knowledge about smallpox and a history of receiving the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Receiving information about Mpox from social media or scientific websites and possessing good knowledge about Mpox were also predictors of a positive attitude. On the other hand, being male, employed, or receiving a training program about Mpox were inversely predicting positive attitude about Mpox. Conclusion There were differences in knowledge and attitude towards Mpox between medical students in low and high-income countries, emphasizing the need for incorporating epidemiology of re-emerging diseases like Mpox into the medical curriculum to improve disease prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar Abd ElHafeez
- Department of Epidemiology, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Assem Gebreal
- Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mohammad Adnan Khalil
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naglaa Youssef
- Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Medical-Surgical Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Abdelhamid Elshabrawy
- Department of Biostatistics and Demography, Faculty of Graduate Studies for Statistical Research, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Suzan Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Biostatistics and Demography, Faculty of Graduate Studies for Statistical Research, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amira Saad Mahboob
- Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Saja Yazbek
- Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Eman H. Elbanna
- Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | | | | | - Yap Siew Kih
- Taylor’s University School of Medicine, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Huda Jawad
- College of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Evangelos Kolotouros
- Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Ghadah AlQarni
- College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | | | - Oumayma Bennani
- Faculty Mohammed VI of Medicine and Pharmacy, Oujda, Morocco
| | - Kamna Rawat
- Government Doon Medical College, Dehradun, India
| | - Areeba Ismail
- Department of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Yasser Al-Hajj
- Faculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Jasleen Nagi
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Ruthwik Duvuru
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Bandar Alosaimi
- Research Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramy Mohamed Ghazy
- Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Khan A, Shahab M, Nasir F, Waheed Y, Alshammari A, Mohammad A, Zichen G, Li R, Wei DQ. Exploring the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) database chemical space to target I7L protease from monkeypox virus using molecular screening and simulation approaches. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 34:689-708. [PMID: 37675795 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2023.2250723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
In the current study, we used molecular screening and simulation approaches to target I7L protease from monkeypox virus (mpox) from the Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) database. Using molecular screening, only four hits TCM27763, TCM33057, TCM34450 and TCM31564 demonstrated better pharmacological potential than TTP6171 (control). Binding of these molecules targeted Trp168, Asn171, Arg196, Cys237, Ser240, Trp242, Glu325, Ser326, and Cys328 residues and may affect the function of I7L protease in in vitro assay. Moreover, molecular simulation revealed stable dynamics, tighter structural packing and less flexible behaviour for all the complexes. We further reported that the average hydrogen bonds in TCM27763, TCM33057, TCM34450 and TCM31564I7L complexes remained higher than the control drug. Finally, the BF energy results revealed -62.60 ± 0.65 for the controlI7L complex, for the TCM27763I7L complex -71.92 ± 0.70 kcal/mol, for the TCM33057I7L complex the BF energy was -70.94 ± 0.70 kcal/mol, for the TCM34450I7L the BF energy was -69.94 ± 0.85 kcal/mol while for the TCM31564I7L complex the BF energy was calculated to be -69.16 ± 0.80 kcal/mol. Although, we used stateoftheart computational methods, these are theoretical insights that need further experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Khan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Zhongjing Research and Industrialization Institute of Chinese Medicine, Zhongguancun Scientific Park, Nayang, P.R. China
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Sunway City, Malaysia
| | - M Shahab
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resources Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - F Nasir
- Amna Inayat Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Y Waheed
- Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, Pakistan
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - A Alshammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - A Mohammad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman, Kuwait
| | - G Zichen
- Zhiyuan College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - R Li
- Department of Flowers, college of Horticulture, China Agriculture University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - D Q Wei
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Zhongjing Research and Industrialization Institute of Chinese Medicine, Zhongguancun Scientific Park, Nayang, P.R. China
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Vanke Cloud City, Shenzhen, P.R China
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Mahameed H, Al-Mahzoum K, AlRaie LA, Aburumman R, Al-Naimat H, Alhiary S, Barakat M, Al-Tammemi AB, Salim NA, Sallam M. Previous Vaccination History and Psychological Factors as Significant Predictors of Willingness to Receive Mpox Vaccination and a Favorable Attitude towards Compulsory Vaccination. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11050897. [PMID: 37243001 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11050897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
During the ongoing multi-country monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak, healthcare workers (HCWs) have represented a key group in mitigating disease spread. The current study aimed to evaluate the attitude of nurses and physicians in Jordan towards Mpox vaccination, as well as their attitude towards compulsory vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), influenza, and Mpox. An online survey was distributed in January 2023 based on the previously validated 5C scale for psychological determinants of vaccination. Previous vaccination behavior was assessed by inquiring about the history of getting the primary and booster COVID-19 vaccination, influenza vaccine uptake during COVID-19, and any history of influenza vaccine uptake. The study sample consisted of 495 respondents: nurses (n = 302, 61.0%) and physicians (n = 193, 39.0%). Four hundred and thirty respondents (86.9%) had heard of Mpox before the study, and formed the final sample considered for Mpox knowledge analysis. Deficiencies in Mpox knowledge were reflected in a mean knowledge score of 13.3 ± 2.7 (out of 20.0 as the maximum score), with significantly lower knowledge among nurses and females. The intention to receive Mpox vaccination was reported by 28.9% of the participants (n = 143), while 33.3% were hesitant (n = 165), and 37.8% were resistant (n = 187). In multivariate analysis, Mpox vaccine acceptance was significantly associated with previous vaccination behavior, reflected in higher vaccine uptake and with higher 5C scores, while Mpox knowledge was not correlated with Mpox vaccination intention. The overall attitude towards compulsory vaccination was neutral, while a favorable attitude towards compulsory vaccination was associated with higher 5C scores and a history of previous vaccination uptake. The current study showed a low intention to get Mpox vaccination in a sample of nurses and physicians practicing in Jordan. The psychological factors and previous vaccination behavior appeared as the most significant determinants of Mpox vaccine acceptance and of attitudes towards compulsory vaccination. The consideration of these factors is central to policies and strategies aiming to promote vaccination among health professionals in efforts to prepare for future infectious disease epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haneen Mahameed
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | | | | | | | - Hala Al-Naimat
- School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Sakher Alhiary
- Nursing Department, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Muna Barakat
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
- MEU Research Unit, Middle East University, Amman 11831, Jordan
| | - Ala'a B Al-Tammemi
- Migration Health Division, International Organization for Migration (IOM), The UN Migration Agency, Amman 11953, Jordan
| | - Nesreen A Salim
- Prosthodontic Department, School of Dentistry, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Prosthodontic Department, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Malmö, Sweden
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Ghazy RM, Hammad EM, Hall MA, Mahboob A, Zeina S, Elbanna EH, Fadl N, Abdelmoneim SA, ElMakhzangy R, Hammad HM, Suliman AH, Atia HHA, Rao N, Abosheaishaa H, Elrewany E, Hassaan MA, Hammouda EA, Hussein M. How can imported monkeypox break the borders? A rapid systematic review. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 92:101923. [PMID: 36521366 PMCID: PMC9716240 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monkeypox was designated as an emerging illness in 2018 by the World Health Organization Research and Development Blueprint, necessitating expedited research, development, and public health action. In this review, we aim to shed the light on the imported cases of monkeypox in attempt to prevent the further spread of the disease. Methodology An electronic search in the relevant database (Web of Science, PubMed Medline, PubMed Central, Google scholar, and Embase) was conducted to identify eligible articles. In addition to searching the grey literature, manual searching was carried out using the reference chain approach. RESULTS A total of 1886 articles were retrieved using the search strategy with 21 studies included in the systematic review. A total of 113 cases of imported monkeypox were confirmed worldwide. Nineteen patients mentioned a travel history from Nigeria, thirty-eight infected cases had travel destinations from Europe, fifty-four cases traveled from European countries such as; Spain, France, and the Netherlands, one case from Portugal, and another one from the United Kingdom (UK). All reported clades of the virus were West African clade. Nine studies showed the source of infection was sexual contact, especially with male partners. Six studies mentioned the cause of infection was contact with an individual with monkeypox symptoms. Two studies considered cases due to acquired nosocomial infection. Ingestion of barbecued bushmeat was the source of infection in three studies and rodent carcasses were the source of infection in the other two studies. CONCLUSION The development of functioning surveillance systems and point-of-entry screening is essential for worldwide health security. This necessitates ongoing training of front-line health professionals to ensure that imported monkeypox is properly diagnosed and managed. In addition, implementing effective health communication about monkeypox prevention and control is mandatory to help individuals to make informed decisions to protect their own and their communities' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramy Mohamed Ghazy
- Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public health, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | | | - Mohamed Ashraf Hall
- Alexandria Dental Research Center, Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt.
| | - Amira Mahboob
- Occupational health and industrial medicine department, high institute of public health, Alexandria university, Egypt.
| | - Sally Zeina
- Department of Clinical Research, Maamora Chest Hospital, Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt.
| | - Eman H Elbanna
- Health Management, Planning and Policy Department, High Institute of Public health, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Noha Fadl
- Family Health Department, High Institute of Public health, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Shaimaa Abdelaziz Abdelmoneim
- Clinical Research Administration, Alexandria Directorate of Health Affairs, Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt.
| | - Rony ElMakhzangy
- Family Health Department, High Institute of Public health, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | | | | | | | - Naman Rao
- Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, USA.
| | | | - Ehab Elrewany
- Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public health, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Mahmoud A Hassaan
- Institute of Graduate Studies & Research, Alexandria University Egypt, Egypt.
| | - Esraa Abdellatif Hammouda
- Head of clinical research department, El-Raml pediatric hospital, Ministry of health and population, Egypt.
| | - Mai Hussein
- Alexandria Dental Research Center, Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt; Clinical Research Administration, Alexandria Directorate of Health Affairs, Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Psychological Antecedents of Healthcare Workers towards Monkeypox Vaccination in Nigeria. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122151. [PMID: 36560561 PMCID: PMC9783513 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing monkeypox (MPX) outbreak has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. People in close contact with active MPX cases, including healthcare workers (HCWs), are at higher risk of virus acquisition since the MPX virus can be transmitted by skin contact or respiratory secretions. In this study, we aimed to assess the psychological antecedents of MPX vaccination among Nigerian HCWs using the 5C scale. We used an anonymous online cross-sectional survey to recruit potential participants using snowball sampling. The questionnaire aimed to assess the geo/socioeconomic features and the 5C psychological antecedents of vaccine acceptance (confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility). A total of 389 responses were included, with a median age of 37 years (IQR: 28−48), 55.5% males, and 60.7% married participants. Among the studied Nigerian HCWs, only 31.1% showed confidence in MPX vaccination, 58.4% expressed complacency towards vaccination, 63.8% perceived constraints towards MPX vaccination, 27.2% calculated the benefits and risks of vaccination, and 39.2% agreed to receive MPX vaccination to protect others. The determinants of MPX vaccine confidence were being single (OR = 5.07, 95% CI: 1.26−20.34, p = 0.022), a higher education level (with pre-college/high school as a reference, professional/technical: OR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.57−10.73, p = 0.004, undergraduate: OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.32−6.55, p = 0.008, and postgraduate degree (OR = 3.48, 95% CI: 1.51−8.04, p = 0.003), and absence of chronic disease (OR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.27−5.22, p = 0.009). The significant complacency predictors were having a middle-income (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33−0.89, p = 0.008), having a bachelor’s degree (OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.10−5.11, p = 0.027), and knowledge of someone who died due to MPX (OR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05−0.93, p = 0.040). Income was associated with perceived vaccination constraints (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.39−0.99, p = 0.046). Participants aged 46−60 years had decreased odds in the calculation domain (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.27−0.98, p = 0.044). Middle-income and bachelor degree/postgraduate education significantly influenced the collective responsibility domain (OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.19−3.69, p = 0.010; OR = 4.17, 95% CI: 1.85−9.38, p < 0.001; and OR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.50−7.90, p = 0.003, respectively). An investigation of the 5C pattern-based psychological antecedents of MPX vaccination in a sample of Nigerian HCWs revealed low levels of vaccine confidence and collective responsibility with high levels of constraints and complacency. These psychological factors are recommended to be considered in any efforts aiming to promote MPX vaccination needed in a country where MPX is endemic.
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Alsanafi M, Al-Mahzoum K, Sallam M. Monkeypox Knowledge and Confidence in Diagnosis and Management with Evaluation of Emerging Virus Infection Conspiracies among Health Professionals in Kuwait. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11090994. [PMID: 36145426 PMCID: PMC9503328 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11090994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As the 2022 human monkeypox (HMPX) multi-country outbreak is spreading, the response of healthcare workers (HCWs) is central to mitigation efforts. The current study aimed to evaluate HMPX knowledge and confidence in diagnosis and management among HCWs in Kuwait. We used a self-administered questionnaire distributed in July–August 2022 through a snowball sampling approach. The survey items evaluated HMPX knowledge, confidence in diagnosis and management of the disease, and the belief in conspiracies regarding emerging virus infections (EVIs). The sample size was 896 HCWs: nurses (n = 485, 54.1%), pharmacists (n = 154, 17.2%), physicians (n = 108, 12.1%), medical technicians/allied health professionals (MT/AHP, n = 96, 10.7%), and dentists (n = 53, 5.9%). An overall low level of HMPX knowledge was noticed for items assessing virus transmission and non-cutaneous symptoms of the disease, with higher knowledge among physicians. Approximately one-fifth of the study sample agreed with the false notion that HMPX is exclusive to male homosexuals (n = 183, 20.4%), which was associated with lower knowledge with higher frequency among MT/AHP compared to nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. Confidence levels were low: confidence in diagnosis based on diagnostic tests (n = 449, 50.1%), confidence in the ability to manage the HMPX (n = 426, 47.5%), and confidence in the ability to diagnose HMPX clinically (n = 289, 32.3%). Higher confidence levels were found among nurses and participants with postgraduate degrees. Higher embrace of conspiracy beliefs regarding EVIs was noticed among participants with lower knowledge, and among those who agreed or were neutral/had no opinion regarding the false idea of HMPX exclusive occurrence among male homosexuals, while lower levels of belief in conspiracies were noticed among physicians, dentists, and pharmacists compared to MT/AHP. Variable levels of HMPX knowledge were observed in this study per item, with low level of knowledge regarding virus transmission. Differences in knowledge and confidence levels in diagnosis and management of HMPX should be considered in education and training aiming to prepare for outbreak response. The relatively high prevalence of embracing conspiratorial beliefs regarding EVIs is worrisome and needs proper interventions. The attitude towards male homosexuals’ role in monkeypox spread should be evaluated in future studies considering the possibility of stigma and discrimination in this most-at-risk group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Alsanafi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City 25210, Kuwait
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, College of Health Sciences, Safat 13092, Kuwait
| | | | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan
- Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 22184 Malmö, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +962-79-1845186
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