Association between Work Time Loss and Quality of Life in Patients with Herpes Zoster: A Pooled Analysis of the Master Studies

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate health utility scores and associated predictors in an actively employed population of Herpes Zoster (HZ) patients with and without work time loss (WTL). MethOds: Pooled analysis of the prospective, observational MASTER cohort studies, conducted in 8 countries across North America, Latin America and Asia. A total of 428 HZ patients engaged in full or part time work were included. WTL, defined as missing ≥ 1 partial or full work day, and job effectiveness, reported on a scale of 0-100%, were evaluated with the Work and Productivity Questionnaire (WPQ). The Pearson product-moment correlation was used to assess the correlation between job effectiveness and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Mixed models with repeated measures assessed the relationship between HZ-related WTL over a 6-month follow-up period, and HRQoL, as evaluated by the EQ-5D. Additional predictors of HRQoL were also identified. Results: Overall, 57.7% of respondents reported WTL. Mean (SD) percent job effectiveness of patients in the WTL group was significantly lower compared to non-WTL (NWTL) patients at baseline [50.3 (31.6) vs. 71.4 (27.8); p < 0.001]. Patients in the WTL group also reported lower health utility scores at baseline and overall than their NWTL counterparts, with WTL identified as an independent negative predictor of both the EQ-5D summary scores and the EQ-5D VAS (p < 0.001). Decrease in job effectiveness was negatively associated with HRQoL overall (p < 0.001). Predictors of lower HRQoL were worst ZBPI pain score category, the presence of HZ complications and country income category (predictor of EQ-5D VAS only). cOnclusiOns: HZ adversely impacts the work and productive life of actively employed individuals. In turn, HZ-related reductions in job effectiveness and work time are associated with a negative effect on HRQoL.