From Basics to Expertise: Comparing Monkeypox Knowledge and Risk Perceptions Across Public Health Students in Islamabad

Abstract

Background: Monkeypox, a zoonotic Ortho poxvirus first identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has re-emerged as a significant public health concern following the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent global surges led the CDC to declare it a public health emergency in August 2022(Kumari, Vyas, and Raj 2022), while the NIH alerted Pakistan on May 23, 2022, about potential outbreaks. Concurrently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its guidelines, emphasizing a One Health approach and integrated surveillance to manage zoonotic risks effectively.

Objectives: This study compares monkeypox-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions among public health students at different academic levels (BSPH, MSPH, and PhD) in Islamabad.

Study design: The study was conducted at HSA, which enrolls 800 BSPH, MSPH, and PhD students.

Methods: Ethical approval was obtained from the ethical review committee of Health Services Academy. Data were collected from 260 public health students using a self-developed, pre-tested questionnaire administered via a stratified random sampling technique. Monkeypox knowledge was categorized as good or poor based on percentage scores, while attitudes and risk perceptions were measured on a Likert scale. Chi-square tests were used to assess associations between educational level and study variables.

Results: Among the 260 participants, findings revealed that knowledge and positive attitudes improved with higher academic levels. Chi-square analysis indicated no significant association between education and knowledge among BSPH students (p = 0.658), while MSPH (p = 0.146) and PhD (p = 0.065) groups showed near-significant trends toward improved knowledge. Moreover, BSPH students exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of low-risk perception (χ² = 5.592, p = 0.018).

Conclusion: Targeted educational interventions are essential to address knowledge gaps among undergraduate public health students and enhance preparedness for monkeypox outbreaks, utilizing community-based and media-driven strategies.