A Cross-sectional Survey of Public Knowledge of the Monkeypox Disease in Nigeria

Abstract Recently named a global health emergency by the World Health Organization, the Monkeypox Disease (MPXD) has gained attention due to its widened geographical distribution outside of Africa and also due to the novel sexual transmission route. The index case in Europe was from a Nigerian traveler. This study assessed public awareness and knowledge of the MPXD by conducting an online, cross-sectional survey of educated Nigerians. The study participants were recruited using the snowball sampling method between the 16 th to 29 th of August 2022. A total of 822 Nigerians were included in this study. More responses were retrieved from the Northeastern geopolitical region (30.1%, n = 220) than other regions. Our study participants had high awareness of MPXD (89%, n = 731/822) but only 58.7% (n = 429/731) of them had good knowledge of MPXD with a mean knowledge score of 5.31 ± 2.09. The main knowledge gaps were in the incubation period of the disease, the signs and symptoms, its mode of transmission, and preventive practices needed to curb the spread of the monkeypox virus (MPXV). Specifically, only 24.48% (n = 179) knew that MPXV can be transmitted via sexual contact. Most of the study participants (79.2%, n = 651) opined that we can prevent the occurrence of public health emergencies in the future. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the male gender (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.22,2.33); Ph.D. level education (1.44; 95% CI: 0.48,4.23); and being homosexual (OR:1.65; 95% CI: 0.71,3.78) were significantly associated with good knowledge of MPXD. Despite the varying prevalence across the country, the region of residence within Nigeria did not influence the knowledge of MPXD among the respondents. Despite the high educational status of the majority of our respondents, there were key gaps in the public knowledge of the MPXD in Nigeria. Therefore, public health risk communication must be intensified with a focus on modes of transmission and the preventive measures needed to curb the spread of the MPXV using an integrated one-health approach.