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Shingles sends nearly 1 million Americans to
the Doctor
Newswise — Nearly 1 million Americans receive medical care for
shingles or its complications each year,
according to the latest News and Numbers
from the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality.
Shingles comes from an infection with varicella-zoster virus - the
same virus that causes chicken pox - and can
result in burning or shooting pain, tingling
or itching. However, unlike chicken pox,
shingles is not contagious.
AHRQ’s survey found that:
• Americans make 2.1 million doctor visits a year because of
shingles or its complications.
• The average cost for treating shingles is $525 per person or $566
million each year (in 2005 dollars),
including prescription medicines.
• People age 65 and older are seven times more likely to get
shingles than the non-elderly – (1.5 percent
compared with 0.2 percent, respectively).
AHRQ, which is part of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, works to
enhance the quality, safety, efficiency, and
effectiveness of health care in the United
States.
The data in this AHRQ News and Numbers
summary are taken from the Medical
Expenditure Panel Survey, a detailed source
of information on the health services used
by Americans, the frequency with which they
are used, the cost of those services, and
how they are paid.
For more information, go
to Average Annual Health Care Use and
Expenses for Shingles among the U.S.
Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population,
2003-2005
