Monkeypox Unveiled: Understanding Awareness, Knowledge and Attitudes among Adults in Malaysia - A 2023 Cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus and is endemic to West and Central Africa. It has similar symptoms to smallpox except lymphadenopathy which is present in monkeypox. Non-endemic countries reported instances of monkeypox since May 2022, which is the first time that many monkeypox cases were reported concurrently in both endemic and non-endemic countries in widely disparate geographical areas. 

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from 20th November to 29th December 2023. It involved 333 participants who were adult Malaysian citizens residing in Malaysia, aged 18 years and above. An online questionnaire was prepared in Google Forms, with the link being shared on various social media platforms for 2 weeks. Association between sociodemographic characteristics and attitude towards monkeypox were measured using the Chi-square test.

Results: This research found the awareness of monkeypox among Malaysian adults was good and over half of them was deemed to have good knowledge regarding monkeypox. They also displayed a positive attitude and showed interest in learning more about monkeypox. Having good knowledge about monkeypox is associated with having a positive attitude towards it. No significant association was found between an individual’s sociodemographic profile and their attitudes towards monkeypox.

Conclusion: This study highlights good awareness and positive attitudes toward monkeypox among Malaysian adults, indicating readiness for public health challenges, though further efforts are required to address gaps in knowledge.