INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF HERPES ZOSTER ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND WORK PRODUCTIVITY AMONG PATIENTS IN SPAIN
Author(s)
Eleftherios Zarkadoulas, MBA1, Carlos Brotons, PhD2, LAURA AMANDA VALLEJO APARICIO, MSc3, ANDREA GARCIA I LURI, MSc3, Sofia B. Pinto, PhD4, Dorsa Khazaei, MSc5, Rosario Cambronero, MD3, Cecilia Jimenez Moreno, PhD5, Tommi Tervonen, PhD6.
1HEOR, GSK, Wavre, Belgium, 2Sardenya Primary Health Care Center and Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain, 3GSK, Madrid, Spain, 4GSK, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 5Kielo Research, York, United Kingdom, 6Kielo Research, Zug, Switzerland.
1HEOR, GSK, Wavre, Belgium, 2Sardenya Primary Health Care Center and Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain, 3GSK, Madrid, Spain, 4GSK, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 5Kielo Research, York, United Kingdom, 6Kielo Research, Zug, Switzerland.
OBJECTIVES: Herpes zoster (HZ) can substantially impair quality-of-life (QoL) and work productivity, but contemporary Spanish data are scarce. The study aims to quantify the impact of HZ on QoL, work productivity and vaccination acceptance in Spanish immunocompromised (IC) and immunocompetent (IC-free) adults of 18-49 and 50-70 years of age, respectively.
METHODS: A mixed-methods observational study was conducted, enrolling patients with physician-diagnosed HZ within 15 days of rash onset, physicians and caregivers. Surveyed outcomes included Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment - Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP), EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS), and vaccine acceptance assessed via a thresholding exercise. Patients completed questionnaires at Day (D)15 and, if worst ZBPI pain ≥3, at D30, D60 and D90.
RESULTS: 58 patients completed (IC: n=25; IC-free: n=33) D15 survey, with 90% reporting recent moderate-to-severe HZ-related pain (mean worst ZBPI pain 6.7) and marked QoL impairment (mean EQ-5D-5L index 0.74 and EQ-VAS 71.2). Among employed participants, absenteeism averaged 15.8%, presenteeism 43.9%, overall work productivity loss 51.3% and activity impairment 45.7%. Over time, analgesic use decreased, perceived pain relief increased and activity impairment improved, although a small subgroup at D90 had persistent severe pain and impairment. At D15, 84% accepted a vaccine with a minimum acceptable benefit of <25% risk reduction; acceptance remained high at D90. Phone interviews with 11 patients, 2 caregivers, and 10 physicians confirmed pain, emotional impact, physical limitations, and work impairment as key burden domains.
CONCLUSIONS: HZ may cause substantial pain, QoL loss and work productivity impairment in IC and IC-free patients, with partial recovery over three months but persistent burden beyond that period for some, having high acceptance of vaccination even at modest protection levels. These findings support consideration of broader preventive strategies and improved vaccination coverages to reduce HZ-related burden in Spain.
METHODS: A mixed-methods observational study was conducted, enrolling patients with physician-diagnosed HZ within 15 days of rash onset, physicians and caregivers. Surveyed outcomes included Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment - Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP), EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS), and vaccine acceptance assessed via a thresholding exercise. Patients completed questionnaires at Day (D)15 and, if worst ZBPI pain ≥3, at D30, D60 and D90.
RESULTS: 58 patients completed (IC: n=25; IC-free: n=33) D15 survey, with 90% reporting recent moderate-to-severe HZ-related pain (mean worst ZBPI pain 6.7) and marked QoL impairment (mean EQ-5D-5L index 0.74 and EQ-VAS 71.2). Among employed participants, absenteeism averaged 15.8%, presenteeism 43.9%, overall work productivity loss 51.3% and activity impairment 45.7%. Over time, analgesic use decreased, perceived pain relief increased and activity impairment improved, although a small subgroup at D90 had persistent severe pain and impairment. At D15, 84% accepted a vaccine with a minimum acceptable benefit of <25% risk reduction; acceptance remained high at D90. Phone interviews with 11 patients, 2 caregivers, and 10 physicians confirmed pain, emotional impact, physical limitations, and work impairment as key burden domains.
CONCLUSIONS: HZ may cause substantial pain, QoL loss and work productivity impairment in IC and IC-free patients, with partial recovery over three months but persistent burden beyond that period for some, having high acceptance of vaccination even at modest protection levels. These findings support consideration of broader preventive strategies and improved vaccination coverages to reduce HZ-related burden in Spain.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EE600
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Patient-Centered Research, Study Approaches
Topic Subcategory
Work & Home Productivity - Indirect Costs
Disease
Infectious Disease (non-vaccine), Vaccines