Willingness to receive monkeypox vaccine and associated factors among the Ghanaian population: Findings from a nationwide survey
A nationwide cross-sectional survey in Ghana conducted in 2025 revealed that 60.24% of respondents are willing to receive the mpox vaccine, with this willingness significantly driven by higher vaccine confidence, reduced complacency, active calculation, specific age groups (23–27 years), and residence in the Bono, North-East, and Savannah regions.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In the landscape of public health, few tools are as powerful or as fragile as the decision to get vaccinated. When a virus spreads, the protection of a community relies not just on the availability of medicine, but on the willingness of people to accept it. This willingness is rarely a simple yes or no; it is shaped by a complex mix of personal beliefs, trust in authorities, and the perception of risk. Researchers often look at five specific mental hurdles that people face when considering a vaccine: whether they trust the science behind it, whether they believe the disease is serious enough to warrant a shot, whether they feel they can easily get the vaccine, whether they have weighed the pros and cons, and whether they feel a duty to protect others. Understanding these factors is crucial, especially in places where a disease like mpox, a viral infection that causes fever and a distinctive rash, is becoming more common. If health officials do not understand why people hesitate, even the best medical campaigns can fail to stop an outbreak.
In Ghana, where mpox cases have been rising, a team of researchers set out to understand exactly what drives people's decisions regarding the mpox vaccine. They conducted a nationwide survey between July and October 2025, reaching out to over 1,600 people across the country. Because the study was conducted online, it primarily captured the views of those who had access to smartphones and social media, a group that tends to be younger and more educated than the general population. The researchers asked these participants if they would be willing to take the vaccine if it were available to them, and then dug deeper into the psychological reasons behind their answers. They wanted to see if factors like age, where a person lived, their job, and their specific beliefs about the vaccine could predict who would say yes and who would say no.
The results painted a picture of a population that is largely ready to protect itself. More than 60 percent of the respondents said they were willing to receive the mpox vaccine. This is a significant finding, suggesting that the groundwork for a successful vaccination campaign exists. However, the study also revealed that this willingness is not uniform across the country or among all age groups. The researchers found that people aged 23 to 27 were more likely to be willing to get the shot compared to those in the 18 to 22 age bracket. Furthermore, where a person lived mattered. Those in the Bono, North-East, and Savannah regions showed a much stronger willingness to be vaccinated than those in other parts of the country. This suggests that while the overall mood is positive, specific local factors are influencing how people feel about the vaccine in different areas.
The study also confirmed that the five psychological factors play a major role in these decisions. People who expressed high confidence in the safety of the vaccine and in the health authorities recommending it were significantly more likely to say yes. Similarly, those who actively thought about weighing the risks of the disease against the benefits of the vaccine were more willing to get vaccinated. Interestingly, the study found that people who felt the disease was not serious, or who felt a strong sense of collective responsibility to protect others, were actually less likely to say they would get the vaccine in this specific context. This might seem counterintuitive, but it suggests that for some, the feeling that the disease is manageable or that others will handle the problem reduces their personal urgency to act. The researchers noted that while most people agreed that mpox is serious and that protecting the community is important, these positive feelings did not always translate into a personal commitment to get the shot.
The researchers also looked at practical barriers. They found that while many people believed the vaccine would be difficult to get if it were far away, the actual time spent getting vaccinated was not a major deterrent for most. Cost and distance were significant concerns, with many saying they would be more willing to get vaccinated if the shot were free and nearby. The study highlighted that while the general population is ready, the path to full protection requires targeted efforts. Health officials need to focus on building trust and providing clear, factual information about the risks, particularly for younger adults and those in regions with lower willingness rates. The study concludes that by addressing these specific psychological and practical hurdles, Ghana can move closer to achieving the high vaccination coverage needed to control the spread of mpox. The data serves as a roadmap, showing that the vaccine is not just a medical tool, but a social one that must be tailored to the minds and circumstances of the people it is meant to protect.
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