@article {8488, title = {Self-reported herpes zoster, pain, and health care seeking in the Health and Retirement Study: implications for interpretation of health care-based studies.}, journal = {Ann Epidemiol}, volume = {26}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 06}, pages = {441-446.e3}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: To describe self-reported herpes zoster (HZ) and explore factors that could impact interpretation of results from health care-based HZ studies.

METHODS: We performed logistic regression using data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to evaluate risk factors for having a history of HZ and experiencing severe HZ pain, and predictors for seeking health care for HZ.

RESULTS: Among 14,564 respondents aged >=55~years, women were more likely than men to report a history of HZ (15.7\% vs. 11.6\%, P~<~.01). Blacks (6.4\% vs. 14.7\% in whites, P~<~.01) and respondents with less than a high school diploma (12.2\% vs.14.2\% in respondents with at least a high school diploma, P~= .01) were less likely to report a history of HZ. Women, blacks, Hispanics, and those with less than a high school diploma were more likely to report severe HZ pain. Most (91.1\%) respondents sought health care for HZ; Hispanics (64.2\% vs. 92.1\% in whites, P~<~.001) and those with recurrent HZ were less likely to seek health care for HZ, whereas those with severe pain were more likely (95.4\% vs. 87.9\% in those without severe pain, P~<~.01).

CONCLUSIONS: HRS provides a new platform for studies of HZ, one which allowed us to uncover issues that warrant particular attention when interpreting results of health care-based studies.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Surveys, Herpes Zoster, Humans, Independent Living, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, pain, Pain Measurement, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Reproducibility of Results, Retirement, Risk Assessment, Self Report, Severity of Illness Index, Sex Factors, Treatment Outcome, United States}, issn = {1873-2585}, doi = {10.1016/j.annepidem.2016.04.006}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27180114}, author = {Hales, Craig M and Harpaz, Rafael and Bialek, Stephanie R} }