Perception of and Vaccine Readiness towards Mpox among Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV make up the majority of cases in the current Mpox outbreak. We aimed to investigate the perception of and vaccine readiness towards Mpox among MSM living with HIV in China. Methods: This cross-sectional online study was conducted from 10 August to 9 September 2022. Participants responded to survey questions about their socio-demographic information, HIV status, sexual behaviors, knowledge of Mpox, and attitudes towards Mpox vaccines. Results: A total of 577 MSM living with HIV participated in the study. A total of 37.6% expressed concerns about the Mpox epidemic in China, and 56.8% were willing to get the Mpox vaccine. Men who had > four sexual partners in the previous three months (aOR = 1.9 95% CI: 1.2–2.8 Ref: 0), had close contact with > four individuals in a day (3.1, 1.5–6.5 Ref: 0–3), were worried about the Mpox epidemic in China (1.6, 1.1–2.3 Ref: No), and believed that Mpox vaccines are safe (6.6, 2.7–16.4 Ref: No or not sure) and effective (1.9, 1.1–3.3 Ref: No) for people living with HIV were more likely to be willing to get the Mpox vaccine. MSM living with HIV with a high school education or below (0.5, 0.3–0.9 Ref: Postgraduate diploma), and sometimes (0.5, 0.3–0.8 Ref: Often), seldom, or never (0.5, 0.3–0.9 Ref: Often) followed news about Mpox were unwilling to get the Mpox vaccine. Conclusion: The ongoing Mpox pandemic has not attracted widespread concerns among MSM living with HIV in China. Having more sexual partners and close contacts, worrying about the Mpox epidemic, and believing in the vaccine’s safety and efficacy were predictors of their willingness to get the Mpox vaccine. Efforts should be made to raise awareness of the potential risk of Mpox in this at-risk population. Public health strategies should fully address predictors of vaccination willingness.

Sources of information on monkeypox virus infection. A systematic review with meta-analysis

“…According to a study conducted by Swed S. et al, 82.7% of health professionals used the Internet for this purpose (33). Another study conducted by Fu L. et al found that 79.9% of men who have sex with men used the Internet as a primary source of information about the Mpox virus (30). In addition, research by Torres TS et al found that sexual and gender minorities had a high rate of Internet use for information about the Mpox virus, with a prevalence of 76.9% (26).…”

Knowledge, Infection Prevention Practice, and the Stigma of Monkey Pox Disease among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Rivers State: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The latter might have played a more significant role in increasing awareness and boosting knowledge of the disease in general society [21]. Similarly, studies assessing the knowledge of Mpox disease among MSM in China showed that the knowledge of Mpox can be compared with the general population but pointed out that there was still a significant lack of knowledge about the susceptible groups, clinical symptoms, and preventive measures [22]. Al-Mustapha et al in Nigeria collaborated our findings in their study of Mpox disease in the general population and found a high to adequate knowledge of Mpox in the studied cluster [23]; however, Wogu et al, [24] on the assessment of media coverage of Mpox disease in southern Nigeria, showed that the respondents had little or no knowledge of Mpox in the overall.…”

Perceptions and Intention to get vaccinated against Mpox among the LGTBIQ+ Community during the 2022 outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Study in Peru

“…In a study conducted in Ghana on the general population, one of the main determinants of vaccine acceptance was con dence in the vaccine, which increased the odds of mpox vaccine acceptance (aOR: 2.45, 95% CI, 1.93-3.15, p < 0.001) [32]. Furthermore, in a study from China, one of the predictors of willingness to get the mpox vaccine among MSM living with HIV was to believe that mpox vaccine was safe (aOR: 6.6, CI 95%: 2.7-16.4) [33]. It is worth mentioning that the mpox vaccine safety has been demonstrated in pre-licensure studies, such as the phase 3 study conducted in 2019 on the modi ed vaccinia Ankara vaccine [34].…”