Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization in August 2024, following an outbreak in Africa. Public engagement on YouTube provides insights into public perceptions during such crises. OBJECTIVES: We analyzed public discourse and sentiments related to Mpox, focusing on thematic trends in YouTube comments. DESIGN: A qualitative synthesis employing thematic content analysis of YouTube comments. METHODS: The YouTube API retrieved 50 videos each for "Mpox" and "Monkeypox." After exclusions, 50 relevant videos remained, and the top 10 by views were analyzed. From 10,567 comments extracted, 2826 were analyzed using Latent Dirichlet Allocation modeling to identify themes. RESULTS: Key themes included geopolitical concerns, disease spread, conspiracy theories, public health measures, and religious interpretations. Comments revealed mixed views on vaccines, lockdowns, and mistrust in authorities. CONCLUSION: Effective health communication must address scientific, cultural, and geopolitical dimensions while countering misinformation and fostering trust.