Work and productivity loss related to herpes zoster

Abstract

Objective:

To estimate absenteeism and presenteeism-related work loss due to herpes zoster (HZ) among working individuals of 50–64 years of age.

Methods:

This telephone survey included individuals with ≥1 insurance claim for HZ in the past year in administrative claims data from five US commercial health plans. Demographic information, characteristics of the HZ episode; impact of HZ on activities of daily living (ADL), and work days loss and productivity were surveyed.

Results:

Responses were obtained from 153 of 1654 individuals who were contacted and were eligible for the survey (9.3%). Most had moderate or severe HZ (72.6%). Close to two-thirds reported some impact of HZ on ADL such as shopping, housework/chores, and social engagement. About half (51%) reported missing work due to HZ, and about an equal percentage reported little or much worse productivity than usual due to HZ while at work. On average, age-adjusted absenteeism- and presenteeism-related work loss was estimated at 31.6 hours, and 84.4 hours, respectively, with a combined work loss of 116.0 hours per HZ episode in a working person of 50–64 years of age. Work loss tended to increase with age and the duration and severity of the HZ episode.

Conclusions:

The study documents a substantial societal burden of HZ-related work and productivity loss. This is important information to take into consideration, in addition to the direct medical burden, when making policy decisions around vaccine prevention of HZ.

Limitations:

The study may potentially be subject to selection bias due to low survey response rate and since only those cases who sought care for a HZ episode were captured. The study may also be subject to respondent recall bias. Finally, since some respondents could still be having the HZ episode at the time of survey, the study may potentially have under-estimated the work and productivity loss.

Key words::

• Herpes zoster
• Shingles
• Varicella-zoster virus
• Work loss
• Productivity loss

Transparency

Declaration of funding

The research described in this manuscript was supported by funding from Merck & Co., Inc. Merck is the manufacturer of a shingles vaccine. Merck employees (mentioned below) were integrally involved in designing the study methodology and analysis plan.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

P.K.S, J.P., R.W., & P.S. are currently employed by Merck. L.S. was a past employee of Merck.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Paul Stang for assisting with the study design, Ms. Wendy Horn for medical writing support, and Ms. Jennifer Pawlowski and Ms. Pia L Graham for technical support with the manuscript. Paul Stang was a paid consultant of HealthCore Inc. on the study. Funding for Wendy Horn, Insight Communications Group LLC was provided by Merck & Co., Inc. Jennifer Pawlowski and Pia L Graham are employees of Merck & Co., Inc.

Authors’ contributions

P.K.S. contributed to the design of the study, data analysis plan, writing of the methods and results sections of the manuscript, and final revisions of the manuscript. C.M. contributed to the design of the study, data analysis plan, conducting the analysis, and commenting on the drafts of the manuscript. J.P. contributed to the design of the study, the data analysis plan, and commenting on the drafts of the manuscript. R.W. participated in data analysis, and writing of the introduction and discussion sections of the manuscript. P.S. contributed to the design of the study, the data analysis plan, and commenting on the drafts of the manuscript. L.S. contributed to the design of the study, the data analysis plan, and commenting on the drafts of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.