How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study
Background Monkeypox (Mpox) is an emerging public health concern globally as well as in Pakistan, with over 100 000 confirmed cases reported across 120 countries as of July 2024.Objectives To assess healthcare professionals’ knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox and examine its association with...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e101881.full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849728776633581568 |
|---|---|
| author | Bushra Ali Mehreen Noor Shahana Ghazal Sana Bilal Aqsa Anwar Maria Jabeen |
| author_facet | Bushra Ali Mehreen Noor Shahana Ghazal Sana Bilal Aqsa Anwar Maria Jabeen |
| author_sort | Bushra Ali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Monkeypox (Mpox) is an emerging public health concern globally as well as in Pakistan, with over 100 000 confirmed cases reported across 120 countries as of July 2024.Objectives To assess healthcare professionals’ knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox and examine its association with demographic factors.Study design Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study.Study setting and duration Conducted in tertiary care public sector hospitals of Rawalpindi district, Pakistan, from October 2024 to February 2025.Participants’ selection A total of 230 healthcare professionals of either gender, aged over 18 years, currently working in the public sector tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi district for at least 6 months were included.Results The mean age of the respondents was 29.13±6.55 years. The majority were women (147, 63.9%), post-graduate trainees (106, 46.1%), with 1–5 years of experience (184, 80%) and from medicine and allied disciplines (131, 57%). Most participants had an average level of knowledge regarding Mpox (137, 59.6%), with only a few demonstrating good knowledge (40, 17.4%). Half of the participants reported that their healthcare facilities lacked proper protocols for managing Mpox cases (97, 42.2%). Significant associations were observed between Mpox knowledge scores and participants’ field of specialty (p=0.007); notably, respondents from basic sciences had a higher proportion of good knowledge scores.Conclusion Overall, the level of knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox among healthcare professionals was average. There is an urgent need for standardised Mpox preparedness protocols, outbreak response planning and comprehensive training programmes to enhance readiness for future outbreaks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a0fea2556c4843cea6be6a9fa1404e32 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-a0fea2556c4843cea6be6a9fa1404e322025-08-20T03:09:27ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-07-0115710.1136/bmjopen-2025-101881How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional studyBushra Ali0Mehreen Noor1Shahana Ghazal2Sana Bilal3Aqsa Anwar4Maria Jabeen5General Medicine, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, Punjab, PakistanDepartment of Community Medicine & Public Health, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, PakistanGeneral Medicine, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Punjab, PakistanDepartment of Community Medicine & Public Health, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, PakistanENT, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Punjab, PakistanDepartment of Community Medicine & Public Health, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, PakistanBackground Monkeypox (Mpox) is an emerging public health concern globally as well as in Pakistan, with over 100 000 confirmed cases reported across 120 countries as of July 2024.Objectives To assess healthcare professionals’ knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox and examine its association with demographic factors.Study design Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study.Study setting and duration Conducted in tertiary care public sector hospitals of Rawalpindi district, Pakistan, from October 2024 to February 2025.Participants’ selection A total of 230 healthcare professionals of either gender, aged over 18 years, currently working in the public sector tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi district for at least 6 months were included.Results The mean age of the respondents was 29.13±6.55 years. The majority were women (147, 63.9%), post-graduate trainees (106, 46.1%), with 1–5 years of experience (184, 80%) and from medicine and allied disciplines (131, 57%). Most participants had an average level of knowledge regarding Mpox (137, 59.6%), with only a few demonstrating good knowledge (40, 17.4%). Half of the participants reported that their healthcare facilities lacked proper protocols for managing Mpox cases (97, 42.2%). Significant associations were observed between Mpox knowledge scores and participants’ field of specialty (p=0.007); notably, respondents from basic sciences had a higher proportion of good knowledge scores.Conclusion Overall, the level of knowledge and preparedness regarding Mpox among healthcare professionals was average. There is an urgent need for standardised Mpox preparedness protocols, outbreak response planning and comprehensive training programmes to enhance readiness for future outbreaks.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e101881.full |
| spellingShingle | Bushra Ali Mehreen Noor Shahana Ghazal Sana Bilal Aqsa Anwar Maria Jabeen How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study BMJ Open |
| title | How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | How ready are we for monkeypox (Mpox)? Monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | how ready are we for monkeypox mpox monkeypox knowledge and preparedness among healthcare professionals in rawalpindi district pakistan a cross sectional study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e101881.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bushraali howreadyareweformonkeypoxmpoxmonkeypoxknowledgeandpreparednessamonghealthcareprofessionalsinrawalpindidistrictpakistanacrosssectionalstudy AT mehreennoor howreadyareweformonkeypoxmpoxmonkeypoxknowledgeandpreparednessamonghealthcareprofessionalsinrawalpindidistrictpakistanacrosssectionalstudy AT shahanaghazal howreadyareweformonkeypoxmpoxmonkeypoxknowledgeandpreparednessamonghealthcareprofessionalsinrawalpindidistrictpakistanacrosssectionalstudy AT sanabilal howreadyareweformonkeypoxmpoxmonkeypoxknowledgeandpreparednessamonghealthcareprofessionalsinrawalpindidistrictpakistanacrosssectionalstudy AT aqsaanwar howreadyareweformonkeypoxmpoxmonkeypoxknowledgeandpreparednessamonghealthcareprofessionalsinrawalpindidistrictpakistanacrosssectionalstudy AT mariajabeen howreadyareweformonkeypoxmpoxmonkeypoxknowledgeandpreparednessamonghealthcareprofessionalsinrawalpindidistrictpakistanacrosssectionalstudy |