Risk Awareness as a Key Determinant of Early Vaccine Uptake in the Mpox Vaccination Campaign in an Italian Region: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Abstract

we aim to investigate attitudes toward vaccination by analyzing empirical factors associated with vaccine acceptance in the Lazio region mpox vaccination (MpoxVax) campaign in Italy. all subjects who accessed MpoxVax and signed the informed consent were prospectively enrolled in the MPOX-VAC Study and were asked to fill out an anonymous survey. Two endpoints were selected: 'delayed acceptance' and 'early acceptance', defined as access for vaccination >60 and ≤30 days from the vaccination campaign starting (VCS), respectively. over the study period, 1717 individuals underwent vaccination: 129 (7%) > 60 [1588 (92.5%) ≤ 60] and 676 (60%) ≤ 30 days from VCS. A bisexual orientation, a lower education level and a worse perceived physical and mental health were associated with delayed access to vaccination. Being pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users and, marginally, HIV positive; having a high perceived risk for mpox infection; and reporting high-risk behaviors like the use of recreational drugs/chems, sex under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and having a higher number of principal sexual partners, were associated with early access to vaccination. according to our data, risk awareness was a major determinant of early MpoxVax acceptance. Conversely, worse perceived health status and a low educational level were critical factors associated with delayed vaccination.