Table 2.
Participants’ answers regarding knowledge and attitudes toward smallpox and MPXV (n = 1352).
| Question | Number of Respondents (%) |
|---|---|
| Smallpox questions | |
| Have you heard of Smallpox before the current epidemic? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 344 (25.4) |
| yes | 1008 (74.6) |
| Is Smallpox common in Italy? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 558 (41.3) |
| yes | 341 (25.2) |
| I don’t know | 453 (33.5) |
| Have you been vaccinated against Smallpox? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 373 (27.6) |
| yes | 709 (52.4) |
| I don’t know | 270 (20.0) |
| Has someone in your family been vaccinated against Smallpox? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 51 (3.8) |
| parents | 657 (48.6) |
| siblings | 306 (22.6) |
| grandparents | 255 (18.9) |
| partner | 9 (0.7) |
| MPX questions—knowledge | |
| The current cases of MPXV infections are: | |
| n (%) | |
| about 15,000 | 361 (26.7) |
| about 500,000 | 200 (14.8) |
| about 6,000,000 | 219 (16.2) |
| I don’t know | 572 (42.3) |
| Can MPX cause deaths? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 296 (21.9) |
| yes | 555 (41.1) |
| I don’t know | 501 (37.0) |
| Has anyone you know contracted MPXV infection? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 1321 (97.7) |
| yes | 31 (2.3) |
| MPXV can be transmitted through: | |
| sexual intercourse | 287 (21.2) |
| skin contacts (not sexual) | 449 (33.2) |
| food | 31 (2.3) |
| animals | 78 (5.8) |
| objects | 167 (12.3) |
| air | 173 (12.8) |
| flies | 14 (1.0) |
| I don’t know | 637 (47.1) |
| The incubation time of MPX lasts: | |
| 1–3 months | 18 (1.3) |
| 1–3 weeks | 362 (26.8) |
| 1–3 days | 45 (3.3) |
| I don’t know | 927 (68.6) |
| The main symptoms of MPX are: | |
| fever | 338 (25.0) |
| skin eruption | 600 (44.4) |
| muscular pain | 120 (8.9) |
| headache | 200 (14.8) |
| lymph node swelling | 103 (7.6) |
| tiredness | 90 (6.7) |
| eye symptoms | 34 (2.5) |
| dizziness | 13 (1.0) |
| nausea or vomit | 32 (2.4) |
| I don’t know | 661 (48.9) |
| The symptoms of MPX last: | |
| 2–4 weeks | 316 (23.4) |
| 2–4 months | 60 (4.4) |
| 2–4 days | 40 (3.0) |
| I don’t know | 936 (69.2) |
| MPX can be severe for: | |
| those who have homosexual intercourses | 284 (21.9) |
| pregnant women | 191 (14.7) |
| immunosuppressed individuals | 509 (39.2) |
| old adults | 109 (8.4) |
| children | 103 (7.9) |
| the whole population | 102 (7.8) |
| Is a MPX vaccine available? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 352 (26.0) |
| yes | 654 (48.4) |
| I don’t know | 346 (25.6) |
| Total knowledge about MPX | |
| mean ± DS, median (IQR) | 2.9 ± 2.2, 2 (1–5) |
| Main source of information about MPX: | |
| TV/radio/newspapers | 1157 (85.6) |
| social media | 108 (8.0) |
| doctor | 87 (6.4) |
| MPX questions—attitudes | |
| Would you undergo MPXV vaccination? | |
| n (%) | |
| no | 364 (26.9) |
| yes | 619 (45.8) |
| I don’t know | 369 (27.3) |
| If not favorable to MPXV vaccination, why? | |
| the disease is not severe | 139 (37.7) |
| the disease is not common in Italy | 74 (20.0) |
| I don’t trust vaccines | 142 (38.5) |
| health reasons | 10 (2.7) |
| I’m not at risk | 4 (1.1) |
| How much are you worried about MPXV infection? | |
| mean ± DS, median (IQR) | 2.3 ± 1.2, 2 (1–3) |
| How much have you changed your habits to prevent MPXV infection? | |
| mean ± DS, median (IQR) | 1.3 ± 1.1, 1 (1–2) |
| If you have not changed your habits, why? | |
| my habits are not risky | 186 (22.4) |
| the disease is not severe | 65 (7.8) |
| the disease is not common in Italy | 37 (4.5) |
| I have been vaccinated | 15 (1.8) |
| I don’t know which habit can be risky | 527 (63.5) |