UNDERSTANDING PATIENTS' KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS TO HERPES ZOSTER INFECTION AND VACCINATION IN GERMANY: RESULTS FROM A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY
Author(s)
Christian Rauschert, MSc, Dr. rer. biol. hum.1, Ahmed Mohy, PhD2, Johannes J. Hain, Dr. Nat.1, Alexandra Jager, MSc, DPhil3, Stephane Deparis, PhD4, Tommi Tervonen, PhD5.
1GSK, Munich, Germany, 2GSK, Wavre, Belgium, 3Kielo Research, Oxford, United Kingdom, 4Kielo Research, Bordeaux, France, 5Kielo Research, Zug, Switzerland.
1GSK, Munich, Germany, 2GSK, Wavre, Belgium, 3Kielo Research, Oxford, United Kingdom, 4Kielo Research, Bordeaux, France, 5Kielo Research, Zug, Switzerland.
OBJECTIVES: Herpes zoster (HZ) presents as a pruritic rash and can cause severe complications, particularly postherpetic neuralgia. In Germany, the recombinant zoster vaccine is recommended for adults aged ≥60 years, in addition to adults ≥18 years at increased HZ risk, following expansion of the recommendation from ≥50 years in November 2025.1 This study aimed to assess German patient knowledge, attitudes and perceptions (KAP) regarding HZ infection and vaccination.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted (August-November 2025) among adults aged ≥60 years from the general population and aged 18-59 years at increased HZ risk. Outcomes included knowledge/attitudes of HZ and vaccination, and perceived importance of information sources, stratified by age (18-49, 50-59 and ≥60 years). Knowledge was assessed using categorical responses, and attitudes/perceptions using Likert-scale and categorical items, including the Adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS; score range: 10-50).
RESULTS: Among 599 respondents, 45% were 18-49, 17% were 50-59, 38% were ≥60 years, and 61% were male. Common comorbidities included diabetes (42%) and rheumatic inflammatory diseases (34%). Prior HZ was reported by ~34% of both at-risk 18-49 and 50-59 years age groups, and ~19% of adults ≥60 years. Overall, HZ awareness was high (83%), but fewer recognised HZ recurrence (58%) or understood how HZ is developed (57%). Perceived vaccination importance increased with age; 58% of 18-49, 60% of 50-59, and 70% of ≥60 years considered vaccination “very important”, alongside proactive vaccine enquiry to a healthcare professional (HCP; 43%/48%/58%). One-third of patients were vaccine-hesitant (aVHS ≥25), decreasing with age (40%/33%/23%). HCPs were most frequently rated as “very important” vaccination information sources (64%/57%/66%), compared with family (44%/52%/36%) and social media (24%/24%/20%).
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight gaps in patient KAP regarding HZ infection and vaccination, which could be addressed by improved patient communication.
1STIKO Recommendations. https://www.rki.de/EN/Topics/Infectious-diseases/Immunisation/STIKO/STIKO-recommendations/Downloads/04_26_english.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4
Funding: GSK (GSK study identifier: 224324)
METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted (August-November 2025) among adults aged ≥60 years from the general population and aged 18-59 years at increased HZ risk. Outcomes included knowledge/attitudes of HZ and vaccination, and perceived importance of information sources, stratified by age (18-49, 50-59 and ≥60 years). Knowledge was assessed using categorical responses, and attitudes/perceptions using Likert-scale and categorical items, including the Adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS; score range: 10-50).
RESULTS: Among 599 respondents, 45% were 18-49, 17% were 50-59, 38% were ≥60 years, and 61% were male. Common comorbidities included diabetes (42%) and rheumatic inflammatory diseases (34%). Prior HZ was reported by ~34% of both at-risk 18-49 and 50-59 years age groups, and ~19% of adults ≥60 years. Overall, HZ awareness was high (83%), but fewer recognised HZ recurrence (58%) or understood how HZ is developed (57%). Perceived vaccination importance increased with age; 58% of 18-49, 60% of 50-59, and 70% of ≥60 years considered vaccination “very important”, alongside proactive vaccine enquiry to a healthcare professional (HCP; 43%/48%/58%). One-third of patients were vaccine-hesitant (aVHS ≥25), decreasing with age (40%/33%/23%). HCPs were most frequently rated as “very important” vaccination information sources (64%/57%/66%), compared with family (44%/52%/36%) and social media (24%/24%/20%).
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight gaps in patient KAP regarding HZ infection and vaccination, which could be addressed by improved patient communication.
1STIKO Recommendations. https://www.rki.de/EN/Topics/Infectious-diseases/Immunisation/STIKO/STIKO-recommendations/Downloads/04_26_english.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4
Funding: GSK (GSK study identifier: 224324)
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EPH100
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Patient-Centered Research, Study Approaches
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
Infectious Disease (non-vaccine), Vaccines