Public awareness, specific knowledge, and worry about mpox (monkeypox): A preliminary community-based study in Shenzhen, China

• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1077564
• Publication Date: 2023-02-14T18:56:38Z
• Authors: Fangmei Ren; Junchao Liu; Jianping Miao; Yucheng Xu; Ruiyin Zhang; Jingjie Fan; Wei Lin
• Keywords: Worry

Background The mpox (monkeypox) outbreak has been declared to be a public health emergency of international concern by the Director-General World Health Organization in July 2022. However, evidence regarding awareness, knowledge, and worry about general population remains scant. Methods A community-based survey targeting community residents was preliminarily conducted Shenzhen, China August 2022 using convenience sampling method. Information on mpox-related collected from each participant. Binary logistic regression analyses with stepwise procedure were applied explore factors associated mpox. Results total 1028 included analysis (mean age: 34.70 years). Among these participants, 77.9% had ever heard mpox, 65.3% aware global only half them high level knowledge (56.5%) related symptoms (49.7%). More than one-third (37.1%) expressed Having levels positively (OR: 1.79, 95%CI: 1.22~2.63 for single level; OR: 1.98, 1.47~2.66 both levels). Conclusions This study identified gaps awareness specific Chinese people, providing scientific prevention control network at level. Targeted education programs are urgent need, which should implemented along psychological interventions release if necessary.