Monkeypox Knowledge Level in Healthcare Professionals
Emsal Aydin1, Emrullah Atas2, Ahmet Melih Sahin2, Ilknur Senel2, Sinan Cetin2, Meltem Arzu Yetkin3, Feyza Yildiz Aytekin4, Sergulen Aydin51Department of Infectious Diseases, Giresun University Faculty of Medicine, Giresun, Türkiye Department of Infectious Diseases, Giresun University Faculty of Medicine, Giresun, Türkiye, 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Giresun University Faculty of Medicine, Giresun, Türkiye, 3Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Ministry of Health Prof. Dr. A. Ilhan Özdemir state Hospital, Giresun, Türkiye, 4Department of Hematology, Bakircay University Cigli Regional Education Hospital, Izmir, Turkey Department of Hematology, Bakircay University Cigli Regional Education Hospital, Izmir, Turkey, 5Department of Emergency Medicine, Private Umut Hospital, Ordu, Türkiye
Objectives: Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral infectious disease. Transmitted by direct contact, the disease has a similar clinical picture to smallpox. As healthcare workers are at the frontline of contact with these patients, it is crucial that they have the necessary knowledge. In our study, we aimed to determine the level of knowledge of healthcare workers about monkeypox disease, which created a new epidemic panic after a devastating pandemic such as COVID-19. Methods: The population of the descriptive study consisted of physicians and allied health personnel (midwives, nurses, health technicians) working in hospital A. No sample was selected, and it was aimed to reach the entire population. The questionnaire was left to the departments as per the number of employees, and individuals were asked to fill it in by themselves. All questionnaires were collected within three days. The data were analyzed in SPSS software. Frequency, percentage, and Chi-square test were performed in the analysis. Results: 177 participants employed in the hospital completed the questionnaire. 57.76% (104 individuals) of the participants were female. In the study, 23.2% (41/177 participants) of the healthcare personnel had not heard of Monkeypox, while 76.8% (136 participants) knew about it. The percentage of physicians who did not know/hear about the disease was 6.2% (5 participants), while the percentage of allied health personnel (midwives, nurses, health technicians) was 37.5% (36 participants). Conclusion: Monkeypox is a zoonotic DNA virus of the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. It was first identified in 1958 among monkeys transported from Africa to Denmark for research purposes. The disease, characterized by a vesicular rash, can affect people of all ages, and there is no specific antiviral treatment. Monkeypox is endemic to Africa. However, it has recently been seen as small outbreaks in Europe and imported cases in our country. Although it is publicized, only 76.8% of the healthcare workers in our study were aware of this disease. Nonetheless, less than half of those who heard about the disease had accurate information about it. One of the challenges in preventing and treating the disease is the lack of knowledge of health workers. We consider that training for healthcare workers should be increased regarding early diagnosis of the disease and prevention of transmission. Keywords: Education, Healthcare Professionals, Monkeypox
Cite This Article
Aydin E, Atas E, Sahin A, Senel I, Cetin S, Yetkin M, Aytekin F, Aydin S. Monkeypox Knowledge Level in Healthcare Professionals. EJMI. 2023; 7(4): 444-446
Corresponding Author: Emsal Aydin