{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T21:04:31Z","timestamp":1784840671308,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]],"date-time":"2024-11-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1731369600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100018270","name":"Health Service Executive","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100018270","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>In May 2022, a global surge in mpox cases, typically endemic to Western and Central Africa, particularly affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). This study examines gbMSM communities\u2019 experiences and perceptions around Ireland\u2019s public health response to the outbreak.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A cross-sectional mixed-methods online survey was conducted. Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis informed by critical realism.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Findings<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A total of 163 gay and bisexual men took part in the survey. Participants accessed information from diverse sources, reporting varying levels of trustworthiness. Overall, participants were well-informed. Four themes were developed from the qualitative data: (1) Perceptions of the mpox response: divergence in urgency, priority, and care; (2) The mpox outbreak as a sign of otherness for gbMSM; (3) The potential for othering through mpox prevention practices; and (4) mpox, memory and fear.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>While community-led initiatives were effective, significant challenges included stigmatisation, discrimination, and mistrust towards public health institutions, influenced by institutionalised homophobia. The study underscores the need for inclusive, culturally sensitive, and transparent public health strategies.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The mpox outbreak highlights the importance of robust community collaboration in public health interventions. Future strategies must ensure equitable access to information, vaccination, and care, and address broader structural inequalities to foster trust and engagement within affected communities.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0313325","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]],"date-time":"2024-11-12T18:30:27Z","timestamp":1731436227000},"page":"e0313325","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Recognising and responding to the community needs of gay and bisexual men around mpox"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3943-0724","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"John","family":"Gilmore","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Comer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David J.","family":"Field","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Randal","family":"Parlour","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-6364-910X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Adam","family":"Shanley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chris","family":"Noone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0313325.ref001","volume-title":"WHO Director-General\u2019s statement at the press conference following IHR Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox-23 July 2022 [Internet]","author":"W. 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Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences","author":"J.P. Gilmore","year":"2023"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0313325.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"471","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-022-12761-5","article-title":"The impact of stigma on HIV testing decisions for gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men: a qualitative study","volume":"22","author":"B. E. Iott","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC public health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0313325.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1177\/0020731419885093","article-title":"A systematic review of the discrimination against sexual and gender minority in health care settings","volume":"50","author":"C. H. B. 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Garcia Iglesias","year":"2023","journal-title":"Wellcome Open Research"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0313325.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e29091","DOI":"10.1002\/jmv.29091","article-title":"Mpox stigma among men who have sex with men in the Netherlands: Underlying beliefs and comparisons across other commonly stigmatized infections","volume":"95","author":"H. M. L. Zimmermann","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Medical Virology"},{"key":"pone.0313325.ref019","article-title":"Paralleling the Gay Man\u2019s Trauma: Monkeypox Stigma and the Mainstream Media","author":"R. Grant","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Communication Inquiry"},{"key":"pone.0313325.ref020","volume-title":"Mpox Illness Narratives: Stigmatising Care and Recovery During and After an Emergency Outbreak.","author":"A. K. J. 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Gilmore","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Advanced Nursing"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0313325","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]],"date-time":"2024-11-12T18:30:39Z","timestamp":1731436239000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0313325"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Ranjan K.","family":"Mohapatra","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0313325","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,12]]}}}