Mpox: Risks, Awareness, and Vaccine Realities

Author: Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Published: 2022/09/15 - Updated: 2025/08/28
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Awareness, Appreciation
Category Topic: Mpox Virus - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This research presents peer-reviewed findings from a nationally representative survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania examining American public knowledge, concerns, and vaccination attitudes regarding mpox. The study's authoritative nature stems from its rigorous academic methodology, involving 1,621 adults surveyed in August 2022 with a margin of error of ±3.3 percentage points, making it particularly valuable for understanding health communication effectiveness during public health emergencies. The research reveals significant improvements in public knowledge over a one-month period, including increased awareness of mpox transmission methods (from 69% to 84%), vaccine availability (from 34% to 61%), and high-risk populations, though notable gaps persist with 27% of Americans expressing reluctance to get vaccinated if exposed. This information proves especially useful for healthcare providers, public health officials, and vulnerable populations including disabled individuals and seniors who may face heightened risks during disease outbreaks, as it identifies specific knowledge deficits and misconceptions that require targeted educational interventions - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

The public's knowledge about mpox has increased rapidly in recent weeks. However, misconceptions and uncertainty persist. Over a quarter of Americans say they are not likely to vaccinate against mpox if exposed to it, according to a new Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) survey.

Main Content

The national panel survey conducted in August finds that 1 in 5 Americans (21%) are somewhat or apprehensive about contracting mpox in the next three months, statistically the same as in our July survey (19%).

The findings come as officials in California and Texas report the deaths of two individuals who had contracted mpox, which was declared a public health emergency on Aug. 4 by U.S. health officials. As of Sept. 12, there were 21,985 confirmed U.S. cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In late August, however, the rate of increase in new cases had slowed in parts of the United States, leading CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to say she was "cautiously optimistic."

The survey found increases in knowledge over a month since APPC's last survey:

• Over half (61%) know that a vaccine against mpox exists, up from 34% in July.
• The vast majority (84%) know mpox usually spreads by close contact with an infected person, compared with 69% in July.
• Nearly two-thirds (63%) know that men who have sex with men are at a higher risk of infection with mpox - up from one-third (33%) in July.
• If exposed to the mpox virus, most Americans (73%) say they would be likely to get vaccinated - though over a quarter (27%) say they are "not too likely" or "not at all likely" to get the vaccine.

"At a time when people are questioning the capacity of public health authorities to convey important information about consequential health risks effectively, it is a credit to their efforts and those of the news media that the public has so quickly picked up critical knowledge about the new health threat posed by mpox," said Annenberg Public Policy Center Director Kathleen Hall Jamieson.

The nationally representative panel of 1,621 U.S. adults surveyed by SSRS for the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania from August 16-22, 2022, was the eighth wave of an Annenberg Science Knowledge (ASK) survey whose respondents were first empaneled in April 2021. The margin of sampling error (MOE) is ± 3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. See the appendix and methodology for additional information.

This is a follow-up to the seventh wave of the ASK survey, conducted July 12-18, 2022, of 1,580 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of ± 3.3 percentage points.

Continued below image.

Continued...

Mpox Concerns

Mpox, a rare disease caused by an orthopoxvirus, is a less deadly member of the same family of viruses as smallpox, according to the CDC. The disease, discovered in 1958, is typically characterized by rashes and transmitted person-to-person by direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids of an infected person; respiratory secretions; by touching items that touched infectious body fluid; by a pregnant person to a fetus through the placenta; or to and from infected animals. On Sept. 7, the CDC said:

"Mpox is often transmitted through close, sustained physical contact, almost exclusively associated with sexual contact in the current outbreak."

Among the Findings:

• Familiarity with mpox: Although the vast majority of people (80%) said in our July survey that they had "seen, read, or heard" something about mpox over the past month, in August, just over a third (35%) considered themselves somewhat or very familiar with the disease, while 65% were not at all or not too familiar with it.
• Worries about mpox: 1 in 5 Americans (21%) worry about getting mpox over the next three months, about the same as in July (19%). (The July survey also found that 30% worry about getting Covid over the next three months.)
• Though the overwhelming majority of cases are among men who have sex with men, women continue to be more worried about getting it: 26% of women say they are worried about contracting mpox vs. 17% of men.
• Few know someone with mpox: 96% say they do not personally know anyone who has contracted mpox, while 2% say they do and 2% are not sure.

Mpox Knowledge

The survey finds that:

Knowing how mpox spreads: 84% know that mpox usually spreads by close contact with an infected person, up from 69% in July.

Isolate if infected: 77% know that people with mpox should isolate at home until the rash is gone, which the CDC advises.

Most do not know mpox is less contagious than Covid: Only 41% know that mpox is less contagious than Covid-19, a statistically significant change from July (36%). The other 59% of survey respondents think incorrectly that mpox is either as contagious (17%) or more contagious (5%) than Covid-19 or say they are not sure (37%). The CDC says mpox "is not known to linger in the air and is not transmitted during short periods of shared airspace" but through direct contact with an infected individual or materials that have touched body fluids or sores or through respiratory secretions during "close, face-to-face contact." An infectious disease expert, Anne Rimoin, told Vox mpox is "not as highly transmissible as something like smallpox, or measles, or certainly not Covid."

Who is at Higher Risk of Getting Mpox?

The survey finds that people are knowledgeable about some risks of contracting mpox:

• Are people who have had Covid-19 at higher risk? Almost half of those surveyed (49%) know that having had Covid-19 does not put someone at higher risk of infection with mpox, up from 33% in July. But a similar number (47%) are not sure whether or not this is true.
• Higher risk for men who have sex with men? Nearly 2 in 3 people (63%) know there is a higher risk of infection with mpox for men who have sex with men, a substantial increase from 1 in 3 (33%) in July. However, 21% of those surveyed are unsure if this is true. In a Washington Post interview, Walensky, the CDC director, said men who have sex with men are "the community most at risk." An August CDC report said that among U.S. mpox cases with available data, 99% occurred in men, 94% of whom reported "recent male-to-male sexual or close intimate contact."
• Higher risk if sharing bedding? Over two-thirds (68%) know that people are at higher risk of infection with mpox if they share bedding, clothing, or towels used by someone who has mpox. A quarter (26%) are not sure if this is correct.
• Higher risk with face-to-face contact? Two-thirds (67%) know that people are at a higher risk of infection with mpox if they have close face-to-face contact with someone infected - but a quarter (24%) are not sure if this is correct.
• Mpox and the Covid-19 vaccine: A majority (71%) think it is false to say that getting the Covid-19 vaccine increases your chances of getting mpox - statistically about the same as 67% in July. There is no evidence of this.

More Awareness of a Mpox Vaccine

Compared with July, in August, there was much greater awareness of a vaccine to prevent mpox infection: 61% know that a vaccine for mpox exists, up from 34% in July. However, the latest survey still finds that a total of 4 in 10 people (39%) are unsure whether a vaccine exists or do not think it does, decreased from 66% in July. The Food and Drug Administration has licensed a vaccine for preventing mpox disease, and in addition, a vaccine licensed for smallpox is available to help prevent the disease, according to the CDC.

People can be vaccinated with the Jynneos mpox vaccine even after a known or presumed exposure to someone with mpox, ideally within four days after exposure, the CDC says.

When survey respondents were asked how likely they would be to take the mpox vaccine if exposed to mpox, less than half said they are "very likely":

• 48% said they were very likely to get vaccinated
• 24% somewhat likely to get vaccinated
• 15% not too likely to get vaccinated
• 12% not at all likely to get vaccinated

Mpox Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories

As in July's survey, a majority of Americans do not believe conspiracy theories that mpox was bioengineered in a lab or intentionally released - though some remain uncertain about what is true or false. The levels of belief did not change significantly from July to August.

• Bioengineered in a lab: 57% say the idea that mpox was bioengineered in a lab is false (statistically the same as 54% in July). However, 15% say it is true (statistically the same as 12% in July), and over a quarter (28%) are unsure. There is no evidence of this.
• Intentional release (asked of a half-sample, MOE = ± 4.7 percentage points): Over half (60%) responded that it was false to say mpox was intentionally released. However, a quarter (24%) are unsure, and 16% think this is true. There is no evidence of this.
• Released to help Biden (asked of a half-sample, MOE = ± 4.7 percentage points): 70% reject as false the statement that mpox was intentionally released by scientists to deflect attention from the failures of the Biden administration. However, 18% were unsure whether this was true or false, and 12% said it was true. There is no evidence of this.
• Caused by exposure to 5G: A large majority (82%) said it is false to assert that mpox is caused by exposure to a 5G signal, though 17% remain unsure. There is no evidence of this.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and published on 2022/09/15, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.