An evaluation of societal perception of monkeypox in terms of disease anxiety and stress levels: A Turkish sample

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine community perception of monkeypox in terms of epidemic anxiety and stress levels. Methods: This research was performed as a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The research was conducted with 1001 individuals between September and December 2022. AMOS 24, JAMOVI, and SPSS version 25 software were employed. The data were collected using a descriptive form, the Epidemic Anxiety Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Results: The mean Epidemic Anxiety Scale score was 52.47 ± 14.52, and the mean Perceived Stress Scale score was 41.88 ± 6.83. Significant positive correlation was determined between the Epidemic Anxiety Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale (r = 0.350, p =.000). A one-unit increase in perceived stress caused a 0.360 increase in epidemic anxiety (ß = 0.360). In addition, having heard of and fearing monkeypox, thinking about its ability to cause an epidemic, and perceived stress emerged as significant predictors of epidemic anxiety. Conclusion: The community was found to exhibit a moderate level of epidemic anxiety and a low level of perceived stress. Epidemic anxiety levels increased in line with perceived stress levels. We recommend that individuals in need receive support by determining epidemic anxiety and perceived stress levels in the community.