Global Health Outcomes, Merck & Co, Inc, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
J Med Econ. 2011;14(5):639-45. doi: 10.3111/13696998.2011.607482. Epub 2011 Aug 13.
To estimate absenteeism and presenteeism-related work loss due to herpes zoster (HZ) among working individuals of 50-64 years of age.
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.
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.
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.
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.
评估 50-64 岁工作人群因带状疱疹（HZ）导致的旷工和出勤损失。
本项电话调查纳入了来自美国 5 家商业健康计划的行政理赔数据中过去一年至少有 1 次 HZ 理赔的个人。调查了人口统计学信息、HZ 发作特征、HZ 对日常生活活动（ADL）的影响以及工作日损失和生产力情况。
共联系了 1654 名符合调查条件的个人，其中 153 名（9.3%）作出回应。大多数人 HZ 为中度或重度（72.6%）。近三分之二的人报告 HZ 对 ADL 有一定影响，如购物、家务/琐事和社交参与。约有一半（51%）因 HZ 旷工，约有同样比例的人报告因 HZ 在工作时的生产力比平时低得多或低很多。平均而言，年龄调整后的旷工和出勤损失相关的工作损失估计为 31.6 小时，分别为 84.4 小时，50-64 岁工作人群的 HZ 发作期间总工作损失为 116.0 小时。工作损失随着年龄和 HZ 发作的持续时间和严重程度的增加而增加。
本研究记录了 HZ 相关工作和生产力损失的巨大社会负担。在制定预防 HZ 的疫苗接种相关政策时，除了直接的医疗负担，这也是一个重要的信息。
由于调查响应率低，且仅捕获了寻求 HZ 发作治疗的病例，因此该研究可能存在选择偏倚。此外，该研究还可能存在受访者回忆偏倚。最后，由于一些受访者在调查时仍处于 HZ 发作期，因此研究可能低估了工作和生产力损失。
