Assessment of Mpox knowledge and attitudes among health workers in Egypt and Arab countries based on a national survey and a meta-analysis

Recent Mpox outbreaks in non-endemic countries have highlighted the importance of global health preparedness. Combined national survey and pooled analysis were conducted to assess the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers (HCWs) toward Mpox in Egypt and the Arab region. An online survey was distributed to HCWs in Egypt, and a literature search of PubMed and other sources was performed to identify relevant studies from Arab countries. Descriptive statistics were utilized for all variables, with chi-square and t-tests used for comparisons. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed, with heterogeneity assessed using the I² statistic. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore factors of heterogeneity. A total of 399 eligible HCWs from various Egyptian health facilities were included. The mean age of participants was 35.6 ± 7.1 years; the majority were female, married, pharmacists, and had at least five years of experience. The survey revealed that only 37.6% of Egyptian HCWs had good knowledge of Mpox, while 97.9% held positive attitudes. The meta-analysis of 30 studies from Arab countries including both HCWs and the general population, showed a pooled proportion of 35% (95% CI: 31%-39%) for good knowledge and 48% (95% CI: 37%-59%) for positive attitude. A higher positive attitude was significantly associated with female gender and HCWs. Significant knowledge gaps regarding Mpox exist among HCWs in Egypt and the wider Arab region, despite generally positive attitudes. This underscores an urgent need to update medical curricula, implement continuous educational programs and launch nationwide awareness campaigns.