Assessment of Vaccine Willingness and Knowledge about Mpox Among Representative Adults in Pennsylvania – Physician’s Weekly

The following is a summary of Mpox Knowledge and vaccine willingness among a representative analysis of adults in Pennsylvania, published in January 2024, issue of Infectious Diseases by Pinto et al.

Monkeypox is an uncommon illness resulting from an infection with the mpox virus, which belongs to the same viral family as variola virus, responsible for smallpox.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to gather current information on the knowledge of mpox, perceived risk, and willingness to vaccinate among a sample of Pennsylvania adults, aiming for representation.

They used a cross-sectional web-based survey (September 2022) to assess the populations knowledge and risk awareness regarding the ongoing mpox outbreak and the willingness to vaccinate if at risk for mpox. Data analyses involved descriptive statistics and logistic regressions.

The results from 1,039 survey respondents indicate no knowledge of mpox symptoms (14.2%) and transmission modalities (12.5%). Those perceiving moderate/high risk were more likely to recognize mpox symptoms (aOR = 2.12). Men who have sex with men were more aware of mpox mimicking sexually transmitted infections (aOR = 3.125), less likely to be uninformed about transmission modes (aOR = 0.17), and more inclined to accept vaccination (aOR = 4.35) compared to women who have sex with men. Self-perceived mpox risk correlated with vaccination willingness (aOR low risk vs. no risk = 3.45 [2.424.92], aOR moderate/high risk vs. no risk = 9.93 [5.8116.99]).

Investigators concluded that while knowledge of mpox was robust, particularly among high-risk groups, understanding of the current outbreak nuances was lacking, emphasizing the importance of targeted education.

Source: journals.lww.com/infectdis/fulltext/2024/01000/mpox_knowledge_and_vaccine_willingness_among_a.15.aspx

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Assessment of Vaccine Willingness and Knowledge about Mpox Among Representative Adults in Pennsylvania - Physician's Weekly