Notable gaps in understanding shingles risk among individuals above 50 years: GSK survey

Mumbai: GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Ltd released new data from a globally commissioned survey funded by them. The survey finds notable gaps in understanding of shingles risk among individuals aged above 50 years, a group that is most susceptible to the disease. The survey, conducted amongst 3,500 adults aged 50 and over from 12 countries, assessed respondents’ understanding of shingles, what triggers it, and its impact on people’s lives.

The survey in India involved 500 participants, with 250 respondents who spoke Hindi and another 250 who spoke English. The data, launched in time for Shingles Awareness Week 2024 finds a widespread lack of understanding of shingles and its lifetime risk.

The findings show that globally, a significantly high proportion of those surveyed do not understand their risk of developing shingles, with 86 per cent underestimating that risk. In India, 81 per cent of the English-speaking and 86 per cent of the Hindi-speaking respondents surveyed underestimate the risk of shingles. Globally, a quarter (26 per cent) believe that one in 100 are at risk of shingles in their lifetime, almost a fifth (17 per cent) think it is one in 1000, and almost half believe (49 per cent) they are unlikely to develop shingles. In India, amongst the English-speaking respondents, 22 per cent believe that one in 1000 adults are at risk of developing shingles. Amongst the Hindi-speaking respondents,18 per cent believe that one in 1000 adults is at risk of developing shingles.

In reality, most adults already have the virus that causes shingles present in their bodies by the age of 50, which may reactivate with advancing age. Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. As people age, the strength of their immune response to infection wanes, and this increases their risk of developing shingles.

The survey results also show a lack of awareness about the pain shingles can cause. The disease typically presents as a rash, with painful blisters across the chest, abdomen, or face. The pain is often described as aching, burning, stabbing, or shock-like. Yet globally, one in 10 adults surveyed don’t know the most common symptoms of shingles, and over a quarter (28 per cent) believe shingles are 'essentially harmless'. In India, 55 per cent of the English-speaking respondents and 76 per cent of the Hindi-speaking respondents believe this.

Dr Rashmi Hegde, Executive Vice President, Medical Affairs, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, India, said, “The survey findings underscore the need to raise awareness about shingles risk in adults over 50. Shingles can significantly disrupt the daily lives of ageing adults and cause them a great deal of discomfort. In this Shingles Awareness Week, we encourage everyone to talk to their doctor about this agonising condition and how to prevent it.”

Following the shingles rash, a person can also experience post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a long-lasting nerve pain that can last weeks or months and occasionally persist for several years. PHN is the most common complication of shingles, occurring in 5–30 per cent of all shingles cases, from findings in various studies. However, according to the survey findings, only 14 per cent globally believe that symptoms of shingles can last longer than six weeks. In India, only 8 per cent of English-speaking respondents and 4 per cent of Hindi-speaking ones think that shingles symptoms last for more than six weeks.

GSK is launching the new survey findings as part of Shingles Awareness Week, a campaign led by GSK in collaboration with the International Federation on Ageing (IFA). The aim is to raise awareness and address the lack of knowledge about the risks and impact of shingles.