Strengthening the social and behavioural science evidence base for mpox in Africa

This study synthesised social and behavioural science (SBS) research findings and evidence on mpox in sub-Saharan Africa, to inform future submissions of SBS evidence to the mpox Emergency Committee. This dovetails with WHO, Elrha and FCDO initiatives to strengthen mpox SBS research and evidence-sharing. Principal Investigator: Hayley MacGregor, Institute of Development Studies What did the study set out to achieve? This programme aimed to strengthen the social and behavioural science (SBS) evidence base on mpox in sub-Saharan Africa to inform WHO Emergency Committee deliberations. It responds to the limited SBS research findings for mpox available in the public domain, particularly regarding transmission, stigma, care-seeking, and lived experiences across diverse contexts. Activities included: Evidence Synthesis: Gathering and synthesising emerging and published SBS findings on mpox (Clade 1 and 2) from 2017 onwards, across the WHO Africa region. This involves mapping of funded research and published work, interviews with identified researchers, and a synthesis report. Support to an existing FCDO and Wellcome funded mpox project consortium to expand and implement SBS research and interdisciplinary integration. Convening SBS researchers at a meeting to share findings aligned with operational priorities. What were the key findings? The project mapped recent and ongoing mpox research and synthesised emerging findings. The team identified and mapped 50 studies and synthesised 13 in-depth studies. Team members attended meetings of the GECIVO mpox research consortium and strengthened the social science component, supporting better integration of social science and health systems enquiry with the other research activities. The project convened social science researchers and supported their engagement at the State-of-the-art Mpox Symposium in Kinshasa, December 2025. ‍