Did mpox knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs affect intended behaviour in the general population and men who are gay, bisexual, and who have sex with men? An online cross-sectional survey in the UK

Smith, Louise E., Potts, Henry W. W., Brainard, Julii, May, Tom, Oliver, Isabel, Amlôt, Richard, Yardley, Lucy and Rubin, G. James (2023) Did mpox knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs affect intended behaviour in the general population and men who are gay, bisexual, and who have sex with men? An online cross-sectional survey in the UK. BMJ Open, 13 (10). ISSN 2044-6055

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Abstract

Objectives: To investigate rates of mpox beliefs, knowledge, and intended behaviours in the general population and in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), and factors associated with intended behaviours. To test the impact of motivational messages (vs a factual control) on intended behaviours.   Design: Cross-sectional online survey including a nested randomised controlled trial.   Setting: Data collected 5 September to 6 October 2022.   Participants: Participants were aged 18 years and over and lived in the UK (general population). In addition, GBMSM were male, and gay, bisexual or had sex with men. The general population sample was recruited through a market research company. GBMSM were recruited through a market research company, the dating app Grindr, and targeted adverts on Meta (Facebook and Instagram).   Main outcome measures: Intention to self-isolate, seek medical help, stop all sexual contact, share details of recent sexual contacts, and accept vaccination.   Results: Socio-demographic characteristics differed by sample. There was no effect of very brief motivational messaging on behavioural intentions. Respondents from Grindr and Meta were more likely to intend to seek help immediately, completely stop sexual behaviour and be vaccinated or intend to be vaccinated, but being less likely to intend to self-isolate (ps<0.001). In the general population sample, intending to carry out protective behaviours was generally associated with being female, older, having less financial hardship, greater worry, higher perceived risk to others, and higher perceived susceptibility to and severity of mpox (ps<0.001). There were fewer associations with behaviours in the Grindr sample, possibly due to reduced power.   Conclusions: GBMSM were more likely to intend to enact protective behaviours, except for self-isolation. This may reflect targeted public health efforts and engagement with this group. Associations with socio-economic factors suggests that providing financial support may encourage people to engage with protective behaviours.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: public health,sexual medicine,medicine(all),sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023)
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 25 Sep 2023 09:31
Last Modified: 01 Nov 2023 03:29
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/93086
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070882

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