Sermo Barometer Reveals Growing Concern Among Global Physicians Regarding Monkeypox

As WHO declares a global health emergency, 65% of doctors say their countries do not have enough vaccines

With the spread of monkeypox on the rise and the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a global health emergency, findings from a recent survey conducted by Sermo, a physician-first online community and leader in global HCP insights, show there is high concern about public misinformation spreading. The survey also found that while 71% of respondents would recommend vaccination as a preventative measure to a patient who was concerned about contracting monkeypox, 65% of doctors say their country does not have enough vaccines.

The barometer survey included 1,011 physician respondents from 20 countries, with key findings including:

Concerns About Misinformation

Seventy-eight percent of physician respondents are concerned about the spread of monkeypox misinformation and 60% are concerned that monkeypox is being categorized incorrectly as a sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis or HPV.

Based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, 36% feel public health authorities should prioritize public education combating misinformation/disinformation to prepare for a potential monkeypox pandemic.

Preparedness For a Further Outbreak

Fifty-two percent of physicians reported that their practice/health system has a plan in place for monkeypox testing and treatment pending a further outbreak, and 62% are confident in how public health officials are currently handling the monkeypox outbreak in their region.

Measures to Take If You’re Infected

For patients infected by monkeypox who want to prevent spreading to others, physicians agree (80%) to isolate at home until rashes are completely healed. Seventy-four percent would recommend washing hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer, and 68% would have patients take medication directly as prescribed.

“Now spread to more than 70 countries, it’s imperative that physicians and patients understand the facts and risks of monkeypox,” says Claudia T. Martorell, MD, MPH, FAC, Sermo Medical Advisory Board member and Director of The Research Institute in Springfield, MA. “Similarly with the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a high margin of misinformation and lack of resources and education surrounding this breakout. As physicians, we need to make certain that our voices and expertise cut through misguided commentaries and confusion.”

About the Barometer:

This survey was the 25th edition of Sermo’s ongoing Barometer that amplifies the voice of physicians globally on key topics, including COVID-19, specialty-specific patient care, and most recently monkeypox. The survey was fielded between July 27-Aug. 1, 2022 and included 1,011 physician respondents across 20 countries. To explore more findings from Sermo’s latest Barometer, visit https://app.sermo.com/barometer.

About Sermo:

Sermo turns physician experience, expertise, and observations into actionable insights for the global healthcare community. Engaging with more than 1.3 million HCPs across 150 countries, the company provides physicians with a social platform and unique community that fosters impactful peer-to-peer collaboration & discussions about issues that are important to them and their patients. Sermo offers on-demand access to physicians via a suite of proprietary technology to provide business intelligence that benefits pharmaceutical, healthcare partners, and the medical community at large. To learn more, visit www.sermo.com

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