[A survey on the cognition of mpox expertise among relevant clinicians in China]

Objective: To investigate and evaluate the correct cognition and influencing factors of mpox expertise among relevant Chinese clinicians and to provide a reference for prevention and control. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinicians in relevant departments using a structured questionnaire compiled by ourselves through a non-random network recruitment method. The content includes demography, clinical specialties, and characteristics of medical institutions, and 37 questions to evaluate the professional cognition of mpox etiology, clinical characteristics, transmission, prevention, and control. Using the modified Bloom's cutoff point to determine the correct answer is greater than or equal to 26 entitled correct cognition. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing the correct cognition rate. Results: A total of 4 332 clinicians in 23 provinces (autonomous regions, municipality) in China were investigated by online questionnaires and 4 276 effective questionnaires were collected, with an effective rate of 98.71%. The mean age of the respondents was (39.46±9.54) years old, 61.18% were female. The overall correct cognition rate of mpox expertise was 62.04% (95%CI: 60.59%-63.50%), the correct cognition rates of mpox etiology, clinical characteristics, transmission, prevention and control were 48.25% (95%CI: 46.68%-49.82%), 78.66% (95%CI: 77.38%-79.95%), 68.56% (95%CI: 67.10%-70.02%), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the relevant factors affecting the overall correct cognition of mpox expertise among Chinese clinicians included gender (female: OR=1.54, 95%CI: 1.31-1.80), region (eastern region: OR=1.46, 95%CI: 1.18-1.79; midwestern region: OR=1.24, 95%CI: 1.04-1.49), professional title (deputy senior: OR=1.43, 95%CI:1.16-1.76; senior: OR=1.72, 95%CI:1.30-2.28), the clinical field (the clinical fields of dermatology and venereal diseases: OR=1.78, 95%CI: 1.42-2.23). Conclusions: The overall correct cognition rate of mpox expertise among relevant Chinese clinicians was low. It was essential to conduct mpox knowledge training for clinicians in males, northeast regions, junior professional title and the clinical fields other than dermatology and venereal diseases to improve their correct cognition rates and epidemic prevention and control ability.