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The following is a summary of “A qualitative study of Chicago gay men and the Mpox outbreak of 2022 in the context of HIV/AIDS, PrEP, and COVID-19,” published in the October 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Hughes et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the experiences of Chicago gay men (age 18+) with mpox, HIV/AIDS, ART, PrEP, and COVID-19 behaviors and vaccination during the 2022 mpox outbreak.  

They performed 30 interviews between June and September 2022, utilizing a semi-structured guide to examine participants’ experiences with gay sexual identity and social interactions, as well as their experiences with HIV/AIDS, ART, and PrEP. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination status and related behaviors were explored. All 30 individuals interviewed had completed the full COVID-19 vaccination regimen.  

The results showed that the most HIV-negative participants (70%) were using PrEP, with benefits. Most individuals had received at least 1 dose of the Jynneos mpox vaccine, facing long wait times and visiting multiple locations for vaccination in predominantly gay social environments. The Chicago gay men revealed strong enthusiasm for mpox vaccination as a preventive measure, despite encountering challenges, which appeared to be impacted by a medical environment shaped by both COVID-19 vaccination efforts and HIV/AIDS-related health initiatives, including ART and PrEP, which contributed to increased medical trust within the community.  

They concluded the urban gay men represented a distinctive minority population with elevated medical trust, influenced by the specific social, sexual, and historical experiences. 

Source: bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-024-09491-x#Abs1