Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them
The current mpox outbreak has challenged previous understanding of the disease, with human-to-human transmission being a significant mode of transmission, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). A knowledge gap exists on MSM’s mpox experiences in Nigeria’s rest...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Global Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2024.2433725 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832592801266663424 |
|---|---|
| author | Michael Kunnuji Megan Schmidt-Sane Olufunke Adegoke Syed Abbas Elizabeth Shoyemi Akanni O. Lawanson Ayodele Jegede Hayley MacGregor |
| author_facet | Michael Kunnuji Megan Schmidt-Sane Olufunke Adegoke Syed Abbas Elizabeth Shoyemi Akanni O. Lawanson Ayodele Jegede Hayley MacGregor |
| author_sort | Michael Kunnuji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current mpox outbreak has challenged previous understanding of the disease, with human-to-human transmission being a significant mode of transmission, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). A knowledge gap exists on MSM’s mpox experiences in Nigeria’s restrictive sociolegal context. This study explored mpox awareness, knowledge, and experiences among MSM in Lagos, Nigeria, through 28 in-depth interviews. We analysed the interview transcripts thematically. Findings showed low awareness and knowledge of mpox among MSM, who prefer seeking healthcare outside public health facilities due to stigma. Intimate contact during sexual intercourse is a likely source of infection among MSM. The Nigerian mpox response does not centre MSM, and centreing them may not be ideal due to potential stigma. MSM seek care through various means, including drugs, herbal remedies, and KP-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, but face stressful care-seeking due to limited social support and stigma. The study shows that Nigeria's mpox situation differs from the situation in mpox non-endemic contexts. The homophobic legal and social environment and heterogenous spread require unique disease framing and context-sensitive response. The study concludes that further surveillance is needed to deepen understanding around mpox care seeking among MSM in Nigeria. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-91547e3450b24aaaa3956650d1a0681b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1744-1692 1744-1706 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-91547e3450b24aaaa3956650d1a0681b2025-01-21T04:25:57ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Public Health1744-16921744-17062025-12-0120110.1080/17441692.2024.2433725Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to themMichael Kunnuji0Megan Schmidt-Sane1Olufunke Adegoke2Syed Abbas3Elizabeth Shoyemi4Akanni O. Lawanson5Ayodele Jegede6Hayley MacGregor7Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Lagos, NigeriaHealth & Nutrition Cluster, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomDepartment of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaHealth & Nutrition Cluster, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomCentre for Population Health Initiatives, Lagos, NigeriaDepartment of Economics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaDepartment of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaHealth & Nutrition Cluster, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomThe current mpox outbreak has challenged previous understanding of the disease, with human-to-human transmission being a significant mode of transmission, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). A knowledge gap exists on MSM’s mpox experiences in Nigeria’s restrictive sociolegal context. This study explored mpox awareness, knowledge, and experiences among MSM in Lagos, Nigeria, through 28 in-depth interviews. We analysed the interview transcripts thematically. Findings showed low awareness and knowledge of mpox among MSM, who prefer seeking healthcare outside public health facilities due to stigma. Intimate contact during sexual intercourse is a likely source of infection among MSM. The Nigerian mpox response does not centre MSM, and centreing them may not be ideal due to potential stigma. MSM seek care through various means, including drugs, herbal remedies, and KP-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, but face stressful care-seeking due to limited social support and stigma. The study shows that Nigeria's mpox situation differs from the situation in mpox non-endemic contexts. The homophobic legal and social environment and heterogenous spread require unique disease framing and context-sensitive response. The study concludes that further surveillance is needed to deepen understanding around mpox care seeking among MSM in Nigeria.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2024.2433725MonkeypoxAnti-gay lawNigeriaLGBTQdisease outbreakSDG3: Good health and wellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Michael Kunnuji Megan Schmidt-Sane Olufunke Adegoke Syed Abbas Elizabeth Shoyemi Akanni O. Lawanson Ayodele Jegede Hayley MacGregor Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them Global Public Health Monkeypox Anti-gay law Nigeria LGBTQ disease outbreak SDG3: Good health and wellbeing |
| title | Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them |
| title_full | Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them |
| title_fullStr | Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them |
| title_short | Mpox and the men who have sex with men (MSM) community in Nigeria: Exploratory insights from MSM and persons providing healthcare services to them |
| title_sort | mpox and the men who have sex with men msm community in nigeria exploratory insights from msm and persons providing healthcare services to them |
| topic | Monkeypox Anti-gay law Nigeria LGBTQ disease outbreak SDG3: Good health and wellbeing |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2024.2433725 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaelkunnuji mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT meganschmidtsane mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT olufunkeadegoke mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT syedabbas mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT elizabethshoyemi mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT akanniolawanson mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT ayodelejegede mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem AT hayleymacgregor mpoxandthemenwhohavesexwithmenmsmcommunityinnigeriaexploratoryinsightsfrommsmandpersonsprovidinghealthcareservicestothem |