Awareness and Knowledge of the General Population About Monkeypox Disease in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BackgroundMonkeypox is a globally spreading disease, representing a significant threat to human life in all countries of the world, and Saudi Arabia is no exception. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of the general adult population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia about monkeypox. MethodologyThis cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia among a sample of adults (aged over 18 years) who attended the outpatient clinics of the First Cluster primary healthcare centers, King Saud Medical City, and Ministry of Health in November 2022. A self-administered Arabic questionnaire, including sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, beliefs regarding monkeypox, and knowledge assessment about monkeypox through 23 multiple-choice questions, was utilized. ResultsThe study included 375 participants, of whom 270 (72%) were aged between 26 and 45 years, and 195 (52%) were males. Overall, 258 (68.8%) participants had insufficient knowledge about monkeypox. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that participants aged over 45 years were almost at a three-fold risk of having an insufficient level of knowledge about the disease compared to those aged between 18 and 25 years (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-8.69, p = 0.037). University/higher educated participants were at 61% lower risk of having an insufficient level of knowledge about the disease compared to those with an education level of below secondary school (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.09-0.65, p = 0.013). Compared to housewives/non-working participants, governmental employees were at a significantly lower risk of having insufficient knowledge about monkeypox (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.26-0.89, p = 0.020). ConclusionsKnowledge of the general population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia regarding monkeypox is insufficient, particularly regarding the fact that a monkeypox vaccine is available in Saudi Arabia and monkeypox is not a new infection that appeared in 2022. Therefore, there is a need to implement educational sessions at primary care centers and outpatient clinics of hospitals about the disease.