Mothers’ knowledge attitudes practice and anxiety toward Mpox outbreaks in Egyptian children

Abstract

Abstract Objective This study aimed to explore mothers’ knowledge, attitudes, practices, and anxiety toward Mpox outbreaks in Egyptian children. Design This cross-sectional study, involving 612 mothers selected via convenience sampling, was conducted in pediatric outpatient clinics in Beni Suef City and Tanta City, Egypt, representing both Upper and Lower Egypt. A structured interview questionnaire in plain Arabic was used to collect data on knowledge, attitudes, self-reported practices, and anxiety related to Mpox. Results A total of 58.3% of participants demonstrated unsatisfactory knowledge about Mpox, while 61.8% exhibited competent self-reported practices. Furthermore, over half, 56.7% of the mothers surveyed held unfavorable attitudes, and 54.4% experienced mild to moderate levels of anxiety towards Mpox. Knowledge and practices were higher among mothers with higher levels of education and urban residence ( p < 0.001). A highly statistically significant positive correlation was also observed between the mothers’ total knowledge, overall attitudes, and total self-reported practices regarding Mpox ( p < 0.000). Conclusions Despite demonstrating reasonable hygiene-related practices, Egyptian mothers demonstrate suboptimal Mpox-specific knowledge and a cautious attitude. Ongoing targeted educational initiatives for mothers, whether in hospitals or through media platforms, are essential to enhance their understanding and disease-specific preventive behaviors concerning Mpox.