Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jan 1;51(1):47-53.
doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001893. Epub 2023 Oct 30.

Mpox Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Persons Presenting for JYNNEOS Vaccination-District of Columbia, August to October 2022

Rashida Hassan  1 , Sarah Wondmeneh  2 , Nathalie Gonzalez Jimenez  1 , Kelly Chapman  2 , Anil Mangla  3 , Patrick Ashley  3 , Christina Willut  3 , Michelle Lee  3 , Trevor Rhodes  3 , Sarah Gillani  3 , Casey Copen  1 , David A Jackson  1 , Michelle Waltenburg  1 , Kevin P Delaney  1 , Gillian Miles  1 , Christine Agnew-Brune  1 , Lisa P Oakley  1 ; DC PEP++ Project Team
Collaborators, Affiliations

Mpox Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Persons Presenting for JYNNEOS Vaccination-District of Columbia, August to October 2022

Rashida Hassan et al. Sex Transm Dis. .

Abstract

Background: More than 30,000 mpox cases have been confirmed in the United States since May 2022. Mpox cases have disproportionally occurred among adult gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men; transgender persons; and Black and Hispanic/Latino persons. We examined knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding mpox vaccination among adults presenting for vaccination to inform prevention efforts.

Methods: We collected mixed-methods data from a convenience sample of adults presenting for JYNNEOS vaccination at 3 DC Health mpox vaccine clinics during August-October 2022. Survey and interview topics included knowledge about mpox symptoms and vaccine protection, beliefs about vaccine access, and trusted sources of information.

Results: In total, 352 participants completed self-administered surveys and 62 participants completed an in-depth interview. Three main themes emerged from survey and interview data. First, most participants had a general understanding about mpox, but gaps remained in comprehensive understanding about mpox symptoms, modes of transmission, vaccine protection, personal risk, and vaccine dosing strategies. Second, participants had high trust in public health agencies. Third, participants wanted more equitable and less stigmatizing access to mpox vaccine services.

Conclusions: Nonstigmatizing, inclusive, and clear communication from trusted sources, including public health agencies, is needed to address mpox knowledge gaps and increase vaccine access and uptake in affected communities. Mpox outreach efforts should continue innovative approaches, including person-level risk assessment tools, to address community needs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest and Sources of Funding: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Change in beliefs about timing of protection from mpox vaccine among adults presenting for first- and second-dose JYNNEOS vaccination—District of Columbia, August–October 2022 (N = 335). Note: Figure excludes 17 participants with a missing response in their first- or second-dose visit surveys.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022–2023. U.S. Map & Case Count. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/response/2022/us-map.html. Accessed March 2, 2023.
    1. Kava CM, RohrafFDM Wallace B, et al. Epidemiologic features of the monkeypox outbreak and the public health response—United States, May 17–October 6, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022; 71:1449–1456. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Preventioa Mpox Science Brief: Detection and Transmission of Mpox (Formerly Monkeypox) Virus During the 2022 Clade Hb Outbreak. Available at: https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/.... Accessed May 12, 2023.
    1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. JYNNEOS [package insert, revised April 2022]. US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/media/131078/download. Accessed Match 6, 2023.
    1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS Announces Enhanced Strategy to Vaccinate and Protect At-Risk Individuals From the Current Monkeypox Outbreak. Available at: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/06/28/hhs-announces-enhanced-strateg.... Accessed March 6, 2023.

Substances