Journals / Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine / 2026 / Volume: 9 Issue: 1

The relationship between the levels of knowledge about monkeypox virus among parents coming to the pediatric outpatient clinic and their anxiety and fear of contamination/infection levels

Pediatri polikliniğine gelen ebeveynlerin maymun çiçeği virüsü hakkında bilgi düzeylerinin aksiyete ve bulaşma/bulaştırma korku düzeyleri ile ilişkisi

Taner Adıgüzel(YALOVA ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0007-2847-3941
Bahriye Semizoğlu Atasoy(Yalova Training and Research Hospital, Child Health and Diseases Clinic)0000-0003-4089-1752
Vefik Arıca(KÜTAHYA SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ, DAHİLİ TIP BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ)0000-0002-2080-4677
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-01-05
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

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⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

It was also observed that parents did not receive education about monkeypox virus disease, did not know whether this disease was fatal or not, most of them were afraid of this disease and did not take any precautions for protection.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: In this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between the knowledge levels of parents who applied to the pediatric outpatient clinic about monkeypox virus and their anxiety and fear regarding contamination/infection.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: The study was conducted in the pediatric outpatient clinic of Yalova Training and Research Hospital between May 15 and July 15, 2024.
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Conclusion & Impact:It was also observed that parents did not receive education about monkeypox virus disease, did not know whether this disease was fatal or not, most of them were afraid of this disease and did not take any precautions for protection.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Mpox (monkeypox) · parental knowledge · health-related anxiety

Abstract

Aims: In this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between the knowledge levels of parents who applied to the pediatric outpatient clinic about monkeypox virus and their anxiety and fear regarding contamination/infection. Methods: The study was conducted in the pediatric outpatient clinic of Yalova Training and Research Hospital between May 15 and July 15, 2024. Necessary institutional permissions were obtained before starting the study. The research data consisted of a 19-item socio-demographic information form, Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS) and Fear of Infection/Contamination Scale (FICS) questions created by the researchers. The obtained data were analyzed in the SPSS 22.0 program. Results: The majority of the parents participating in the study were between the ages of 30-39 (47.7%), and the majority were women (73.2%). When evaluated according to education level, 30% of the participants were high school graduates, and 29.5% had a bachelor's degree or higher. The majority were married (87.7%), and 53.6% were unemployed. 61.8% lived in the city center, 55.9% had equal incomes and expenses, the average number of people living in the house was 4.09±1.12, and the average number of children was 2.06±0.98. 93.6% of the participants stated that they had not received training on the monkeypox virus, 90.9% had heard of this virus, and 45.9% knew the ways the virus was transmitted. However, 64.5% of parents did not know whether the monkeypox virus was fatal or not, 64.5% reported that they were afraid of this virus, but 51.8% did not take any precautions. It was determined that the average BAS score of parents regarding monkeypox was at a mild anxiety level and their FICS was high. No significant correlation was found between anxiety levels and fear of contamination/infection, as assessed by the BAS and FICS scores (r=−0.091, p=0.179). Conclusion: In our study, it was determined that the average BAS score of families regarding monkeypox virus disease was at a mild anxiety level, and the FICS was high according to the average BAS score. It was also observed that parents did not receive education about monkeypox virus disease, did not know whether this disease was fatal or not, most of them were afraid of this disease and did not take any precautions for protection.

Özet

Amaç: Bu çalışmada amaç pediatri polikliniğine gelen ebeveynlerin maymun çiçeği virüsü hakkında bilgi düzeylerinin aksiyete ve bulaşma/bulaştırma korku düzeyleri ile ilişkisini incelemektir. Gereç ve yöntem: Çalışma 15 Mayıs-15 Temmuz 2024 arası XXX Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi (XAEH) pediatri polikliniğinde yürütüldü. Çalışmaya başlamadan önce gerekli kurum izinleri alındı. Araştırma verileri araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan 19 soruluk sosyodemografik bilgi formu, Beck Anksiyete Ölçeği (BAÖ) ve ulaşma/bulaştırma korkusu ölçeği (BBKÖ) sorularından oluştu. Elde edilen veriler SPSS 22.0 programında analiz edildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan ebeveynlerin büyük bir kısmı 30-39 yaş aralığında (%47.7) olup, çoğunluğu kadınlardan (%73.2) oluşmaktaydı. Eğitim düzeyine göre değerlendirildiğinde, katılımcıların %30’u lise mezunu, %29.5’i ise lisans ve üzeri eğitime sahip ebeveynlerdi. Çoğunluğu evli (%87.7) olup, %53.6’sı çalışmamaktaydı. %61.8’i şehir merkezinde yaşamakta, %55.9’unun gelirleri giderleriyle eşit, evde yaşayan ortalama kişi sayısı 4.09±1.12 olup ortalama çocuk sayısının 2.06±0.98 olduğu belirlendi. Katılımcıların %93.6’sı maymun çiçeği virüsü hakkında eğitim almadığını, %90.9’u bu virüsü duyduğunu, %45.9’u virüsün bulaşma yollarını bildiğini belirtti. Bununla birlikte ebeveynlerin %64.5’i maymun çiçeği virüsünün ölümcül olup olmadığını bilmemekte, %64.5’i bu virüsten korktuğunu, ancak %51.8’i herhangi bir önlem almadığını bildirdi. Ebeveynlerin maymun çiçeği hastalığıyla ilgili BAÖ puanı ortalamasının 11.96±11.95 olduğu ve hafif anksiyete düzeyinde oldukları, BBKÖ puanı ortalamasının ise 92.72±18.44 olduğu ve bulaşma/bulaştırma korkusunun yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Çalışmamızda ailelerin maymun çiçeği virüsü hastalığıyla ilgili BAÖ puanı ortalamasının hafif anksiyete düzeyinde olduğu, BBKÖ puanı ortalamasınına göre bulaşma/bulaştırma korkusunun yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca ebeveynlerin maymun çiçeği virüsü hastalığıyla ilgili eğitim almadıkları, bu hastalığın ölümcül olup olmadığını bilmedikleri, çoğunluğunun bu hastalıktan korktuğu ve korunmada herhangi bir önlem almadıkları görülmüştür. Ebeveynlerin maymun çiçeği virüsü hastalığıyla ilgili farkındalığını artırmaya yönelik eğitim programlarının geliştirilmesi gerektiği düşünülmüştür.

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Cite This Article

Adıgüzel, T., Kaya, G., Atasoy, B. S., Arıca, V. (2026). The relationship between the levels of knowledge about monkeypox virus among parents coming to the pediatric outpatient clinic and their anxiety and fear of contamination/infection levels. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine, Volume: 9 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1820246

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