Social, mental, and behavioral considerations in Mpox countermeasures: call for people-centric approaches for shared success

Nature The unprecedented dual declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2022 and 2024 by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the persistent threat of infectious diseases in the post-COVID era. With over 100,000 confirmed cases across 122 countries and an urgent demand for millions of vaccine doses, particularly in Africa, global attention has rightly focused on robust response and preparedness strategies, including enhancing diagnostics and developing medical countermeasures. Amidst this medical urgency, the profound influence of social, mental, and behavioral (SMB) factors, a crucial dimension of outbreak management, is frequently overlooked. This article addresses this critical gap by synthesizing current literature and presenting a structured, people-centric framework for Mpox countermeasures. It is based on a comprehensive search of academic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar) and key policy documents from the WHO, CDC, and Lancet Commissions. We identify that existing evidence on the relationship between Mpox and social determinants of health, mental well-being, and behavioral responses is often limited or conflicting.