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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health

Knowledge and Readiness for Mpox Among Primary Healthcare Workers in Malaysia and Their Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study

  • Muhammad Saufi Abdullah1
  • Suhaily Mohd Hairon1,2
  • Siti Suhaila Mohd Yusoff3
  • Mohd Azimullah Abdullah Zakaria4
  • Mohd Shamril Mohd Nawi5
  • Mohd Nasrullah Nik Ab Kadir6
  • Farzaana Adam7
  • Noorul Amilin Sulaiman8
8 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 16150 Malaysia
  2. 2Senior Medical Lecturer & Public Health Medicine Specialist, Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 16150 Malaysia
  3. 3Department of Family Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 16150 Malaysia
  4. 4Communicable Disease Control Unit, Kelantan State Health Department, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 15590 Malaysia
  5. 5Kota Kinabalu Area Health Office, Sabah State Health Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 88400 Malaysia
  6. 6Public Health Division, Johor State Health Department, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor Johor Bahru, Malaysia
  7. 7Seberang Perai Tengah District Health Office, Penang State Health Department, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia
  8. 8Gombak Setia Health Clinic, Gombak District Health Office, Gombak, 53100 Selangor Malaysia
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Abstract

Background: Mpox has re-emerged as a public health concern, highlighting the need to strengthen frontline preparedness. Primary healthcare workers require adequate knowledge to recognise symptoms, understand transmission, differentiate mpox from other conditions, and follow appropriate management protocols. They must also be prepared to implement appropriate infection prevention and control measures. This study aimed to assess knowledge and readiness regarding mpox management among primary healthcare workers in Malaysia and identify associated factors.

Methods: A newly developed questionnaire underwent content and face validation, followed by psychometric evaluation using two-parameter logistic item response theory for the knowledge domain and exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis for the readiness domain. The questionnaire was then administered in a cross-sectional study among 333 primary healthcare workers in Malaysia. The total knowledge and readiness scores were converted to percentage scores. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were conducted.

Results: Mean percentage scores were 78.0% for knowledge and 75.5% for readiness. Among the readiness domains, attitude towards mpox management had the highest mean percentage score (88.8%), followed by intention to take action (81.0%), perceived behavioural control (65.4%), and perceived risk (45.9%). The knowledge score was significantly associated with the presence of a medical illness (adjusted β = -1.01; 95% CI: -1.73, -0.30; p = 0.006), being a medical assistant (adjusted β = -1.62; 95% CI: -2.36, -0.87; p < 0.001) or nurse (adjusted β = -1.32; 95% CI: -2.05, -0.59; p < 0.001), attendance at an mpox-related course (adjusted β = 1.31; 95% CI: 0.43, 2.19; p = 0.004), and the readiness score (adjusted β = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.18; p < 0.001). The readiness score was significantly associated with having a master’s degree (adjusted β = 5.76; 95% CI: 0.11, 11.41; p = 0.046), being a medical assistant (adjusted β = 4.54; 95% CI: 1.37, 7.72; p = 0.005) or nurse (adjusted β = 3.28; 95% CI: 0.01, 6.55; p = 0.049), working in a clinic with a moderate (adjusted β = 2.76; 95% CI: 0.76, 4.77; p = 0.007) or high workload (adjusted β = 2.44; 95% CI: 0.26, 4.63; p = 0.029), previous experience managing suspected mpox cases (adjusted β = 3.53; 95% CI: 0.36, 6.70; p = 0.029), and the knowledge score (adjusted β = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.13; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Primary healthcare workers demonstrated relatively favourable mean scores for knowledge and overall readiness regarding mpox management, although gaps remained in specific knowledge areas, perceived behavioural control, and perceived risk. These findings may help health authorities develop profession-specific training to address the identified gaps and routinely monitor frontline preparedness using the validated questionnaire.

Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-026-00621-z.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{abdullah2026knowledge,
  title = {{Knowledge and Readiness for Mpox Among Primary Healthcare Workers in Malaysia and Their Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study}},
  author = {Muhammad Saufi Abdullah and Suhaily Mohd Hairon and Siti Suhaila Mohd Yusoff and Mohd Azimullah Abdullah Zakaria and Mohd Shamril Mohd Nawi and Mohd Nasrullah Nik Ab Kadir and Farzaana Adam and Noorul Amilin Sulaiman},
  journal = {Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1007/s44197-026-00621-z},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-026-00621-z},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Knowledge and Readiness for Mpox Among Primary Healthcare Workers in Malaysia and Their Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study
AU  - Muhammad Saufi Abdullah
AU  - Suhaily Mohd Hairon
AU  - Siti Suhaila Mohd Yusoff
AU  - Mohd Azimullah Abdullah Zakaria
AU  - Mohd Shamril Mohd Nawi
AU  - Mohd Nasrullah Nik Ab Kadir
AU  - Farzaana Adam
AU  - Noorul Amilin Sulaiman
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/06
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
DO  - 10.1007/s44197-026-00621-z
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-026-00621-z
AB  - Background: Mpox has re-emerged as a public health concern, highlighting the need to strengthen frontline preparedness. Primary healthcare workers require adequate knowledge to recognise symptoms, understand transmission, differentiate mpox from other conditions, and follow appropriate management protocols. They must also be prepared to implement appropriate infection prevention and control measures. This study aimed to assess knowledge and readiness regarding mpox management among primary healthcare workers in Malaysia and identify associated factors.  Methods: A newly developed questionnaire underwent content and face validation, followed by psychometric evaluation using two-parameter logistic item response theory for the knowledge domain and exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis for the readiness domain. The questionnaire was then administered in a cross-sectional study among 333 primary healthcare workers in Malaysia. The total knowledge and readiness scores were converted to percentage scores. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were conducted.  Results: Mean percentage scores were 78.0% for knowledge and 75.5% for readiness. Among the readiness domains, attitude towards mpox management had the highest mean percentage score (88.8%), followed by intention to take action (81.0%), perceived behavioural control (65.4%), and perceived risk (45.9%). The knowledge score was significantly associated with the presence of a medical illness (adjusted β = -1.01; 95% CI: -1.73, -0.30; p = 0.006), being a medical assistant (adjusted β = -1.62; 95% CI: -2.36, -0.87; p < 0.001) or nurse (adjusted β = -1.32; 95% CI: -2.05, -0.59; p < 0.001), attendance at an mpox-related course (adjusted β = 1.31; 95% CI: 0.43, 2.19; p = 0.004), and the readiness score (adjusted β = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.18; p < 0.001). The readiness score was significantly associated with having a master’s degree (adjusted β = 5.76; 95% CI: 0.11, 11.41; p = 0.046), being a medical assistant (adjusted β = 4.54; 95% CI: 1.37, 7.72; p = 0.005) or nurse (adjusted β = 3.28; 95% CI: 0.01, 6.55; p = 0.049), working in a clinic with a moderate (adjusted β = 2.76; 95% CI: 0.76, 4.77; p = 0.007) or high workload (adjusted β = 2.44; 95% CI: 0.26, 4.63; p = 0.029), previous experience managing suspected mpox cases (adjusted β = 3.53; 95% CI: 0.36, 6.70; p = 0.029), and the knowledge score (adjusted β = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.13; p < 0.001).  Conclusions: Primary healthcare workers demonstrated relatively favourable mean scores for knowledge and overall readiness regarding mpox management, although gaps remained in specific knowledge areas, perceived behavioural control, and perceived risk. These findings may help health authorities develop profession-specific training to address the identified gaps and routinely monitor frontline preparedness using the validated questionnaire.  Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-026-00621-z.
SN  - 2210-6006
SN  - 2210-6014
ER  -