Factors Influencing Monkeypox Vaccination: A Cue to Policy Implementation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Media Analysis
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The 2022 mpox outbreak prompted high-income countries to develop vaccination strategies.
• Understanding factors influencing vaccination uptake is critical for addressing challenges and boosting confidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map factors influencing mpox vaccination uptake.
• To identify key determinants of vaccine decision-making and access.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 149,133 tweets related to mpox vaccination between May and September 2022.
• Utilized VADER, Text Blob, and Flair for sentiment analysis.
• Applied the Levesque conceptual framework for healthcare access.

Main Results:

• Sentiment analysis indicated communication, stigmatization, vaccine accessibility, availability, and safety concerns are significant factors.
• Tweet analysis revealed these factors influence decision-making processes regarding mpox vaccination.
• Varying sentiment classifications were observed across different analysis tools.

Conclusions:

• Twitter serves as a vital tool for monitoring factors affecting mpox vaccination decisions and access.
• A social media-based risk communication strategy is essential to combat vaccine mistrust and disinformation.
• Improving public confidence requires addressing logistical barriers and promoting credible information sources.