摘要
Objective:To evaluate the awareness,knowledge,and attitude on monkeypox viral infection among preclinical and clinical dental students in Malaysia.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 229 preclinical and clinical dental students via an online self-reported questionnaire.The questionnaire included 3 items on awareness,15 items on knowledge,9 items on attitude and 2 open-ended questions.Data were presented as frequencies and percentages.Chi-square test was used to compare knowledge and awareness scores between preclinical and clinical dental students and content analysis was performed for open-ended responses.Results:Preclinical and clinical dental students were aware of the existence of monkeypox(89.5%and 94.4%,respectively),that the disease emerged in non-endemic countries(81.0%and 87.1%,respectively)and that it was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization(73.3%and 79.0%,respectively).Clinical dental students’overall knowledge level was significantly higher than preclinical dental students(P=0.014).Both preclinical(95.2%)and clinical(96.8%)dental students demonstrated positive attitudes toward monkeypox with no significant difference(P=0.736)noted between them.Three themes emerged from the open-ended questions:(1)reimplementation of nationwide lockdown,(2)impact on the economy and health,and(3)disruption to the educational system.Students also anticipated their face-to-face learning to be reduced should there be a new outbreak.Conclusions:Both preclinical and clinical dental students showed comparable awareness and attitudes,while the latter demonstrated greater satisfactory knowledge toward the re-emergence of monkeypox during the COVID-19 pandemic.Nonetheless,efforts to improve dental students’understanding of this alarming outbreak are required,to safeguard their health and minimise transmission.
