As the threat of mpox resurfaces, a recent survey reveals that U.S. adults are less informed about the disease compared to the peak of the outbreak in 2022.
Two years have passed since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency due to an mpox outbreak, a disease that is typically found in Africa but had spread to numerous countries. Now, in the summer of 2024, a more lethal variant of the disease is spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo to other African countries, while signs of the strain that previously affected the U.S. are becoming evident again. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a fresh warning about mpox to healthcare professionals.
Although the American public quickly adapted to understanding the disease during the summer of 2022, much of that awareness seems to have faded as case numbers dropped and media focus shifted, according to recent survey results from the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
A representative survey involving about 1,500 U.S. adults conducted in July 2024 shows a decline in knowledge about mpox, which had risen in August 2022, alongside a decrease in fear regarding the illness (previously known as monkeypox). This latest wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health (ASAPH) knowledge survey indicates that:
- Only 5% of Americans are concerned about contracting mpox in the next three months, down from 21% in August 2022. Additionally, fewer than 10% worry that they or their loved ones will catch mpox.
- Less than 20% (17%) are aware that mpox is less contagious than Covid-19, a drop from 41% in August 2022. Nearly two-thirds (63%) remain uncertain.
- Only 34% of individuals recognize that men who have sex with men face a higher risk of mpox, down from nearly two-thirds (63%) in August 2022.
- Under half (45%) are aware that a vaccine for mpox exists, compared to 61% in August 2022.
- Fewer respondents (58%) understand that it is incorrect to claim that receiving a Covid-19 vaccine raises the likelihood of getting mpox, down from 71%.
“The quickness with which the public absorbed essential information about mpox in the summer of 2022 reflects the effectiveness of communication from public health authorities,” stated Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) and the survey’s leader. “This expertise should now be utilized to remind those at risk about mpox’s symptoms, how it spreads, and the importance of vaccination.”
Mpox outbreaks in 2024 and 2022
Mpox, identified in 1958, is a rare disease caused by an orthopox virus and is a less dangerous relative of the smallpox virus, as per the CDC. Symptoms may include fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, and painful rashes, especially on the hands, feet, face, chest, mouth, or near genitals. The CDC notes that the disease can transmit through infected wild animals, close (including sexual) contact with an infected person, including exposure to scabs or body fluids, and contact with contaminated items like towels or bedding.
The current outbreak features a strain known as clade I, which is particularly harmful, especially to infants and children under five, according to the WHO. The director general of the WHO announced this week that he is assembling a panel of experts to advise on whether to classify this outbreak as a global health emergency. (The WHO ended the global health emergency status for mpox in May 2023.) The WHO reports over 14,000 cases this year, with at least 511 fatalities. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 62% of these deaths were among children younger than five. The ongoing variant spreads primarily through close contact, although health authorities confirmed that it is also being transmitted during sexual activity as of November 2023.
This more dangerous mpox strain has not been detected outside Central and East Africa, according to the CDC.
In contrast, a different strain known as the clade II subtype emerged during the 2022 outbreak, spreading across the U.S. This earlier strain was less deadly and mainly transmitted through sexual contact, primarily affecting men who have sex with men. Although case numbers have significantly dropped, the strain never completely disappeared, as the CDC noted. Many current cases are found in individuals who are either unvaccinated or have only received one out of the two recommended doses.
Vaccination against mpox
While the general level of knowledge regarding mpox has significantly decreased, there has not been as marked a drop in the willingness of people to get vaccinated. The CDC continues to recommend that individuals receive two doses of the Jynneos vaccine, spaced four weeks apart—both for those who have been exposed to the mpox virus and for those at higher risk, such as men who have sex with men.
An earlier APPC survey from October 2022 revealed that 76% of respondents indicated they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to get an mpox vaccine if they were exposed to the virus. In contrast, the current survey from July 2024 shows a slight drop, with 70% of respondents stating they were either very/somewhat likely to get vaccinated (68%) or had already received the vaccine (2%). However, 30% expressed that they were “not too likely” or “not at all likely” to receive the vaccination if exposed. Additionally, 70% affirmed in July 2024 that they believed the benefits of vaccination against mpox outweighed the risks.
APPC’s ASAPH survey
The survey results stem from the 20th wave of a nationally representative panel consisting of 1,496 U.S. adults, initially organized in April 2021. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was conducted between July 11-18, 2024, and carries a margin of sampling error (MOE) of ± 3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number and may not total 100%.
