Mpox Vaccine Acceptance Among Health Care Workers in Central Asia: The Role of COVID-19 Experience.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic may have shaped health care workers' (HCWs') perceptions of emerging infectious threats and willingness to adopt new vaccines. This study examined whether COVID-19-related experiences and psychological factors were associated with Mpox vaccine acceptance among HCWs in Central Asia.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 3,054 HCWs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan completed an online survey between July and November 2022. Mpox vaccine acceptance was assessed using a single 5-point Likert-scale item and analyzed as a continuous outcome. Measures included COVID-19-related experiences, fear of COVID-19 and Mpox, DASS-21, and occupational burnout. Analyses included comparative tests, multivariable linear regression, and exploratory mediation models.

RESULTS

Overall, 1,868 HCWs (61.2%) reported some willingness to receive Mpox vaccination, whereas 1,186 (38.8%) reported none. In bivariate analyses, acceptance varied by country and was higher among HCWs with COVID-19 frontline experience or living with high-risk individuals. In multivariable regression, fear of Mpox was the strongest correlate of acceptance, while burnout was inversely associated. Mediation analyses indicated indirect associations through fear- and distress-related pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Mpox vaccine acceptance among Central Asian HCWs was associated with pandemic experience and psychological responses to infectious disease risk. Strategies should combine risk communication with burnout reduction and HCW well-being support.