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. 2024 Dec 31;20(1):2335722.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2335722. Epub 2024 May 3.

Herpes zoster in older adults: Impact on carbon footprint in the United States

Desmond Curran  1 , Jacopo Bitetti  2 , Imogen Catterall  2   3 , Stephen Wincott  4
Affiliations

Herpes zoster in older adults: Impact on carbon footprint in the United States

Desmond Curran et al. Hum Vaccin Immunother. .

Abstract

We provide estimates for (I) annual herpes zoster (HZ) cases, (II) carbon costs related to healthcare utilization, and (III) annual carbon emissions due to HZ among ≥50 years of age (YOA) United States (US) population. We estimated the annual number of HZ cases in the US based on available incidence data and demographic data of individuals ≥50 YOA. Both the healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) associated with HZ cases and the unit carbon dioxide equivalent (i.e. CO2e) costs associated with each type of HCRU in the US were estimated based on literature and studies available online. The carbon footprint associated with HZ annually among US adults ≥50 YOA was estimated by multiplying the unit carbon estimates by the HCRU. In the US population aged ≥50 YOA in 2020 (i.e. approximately 118 million), approximately 1.1 million cases of HZ occur annually assuming no vaccination. Based on 2 sources of HCRU the average kgCO2e per HZ patient ranged from 61.0 to 97.6 kgCO2e, with values by age group ranging from 40.9 kgCO2e in patients aged 50-59 to 195.9 kgCO2e in patients ≥80 YOA. The total annual HZ associated carbon ranged between 67,000 and 107,000 tons of CO2e in the US population aged ≥50 YOA. The impact of HZ on carbon footprint in the US results in considerable greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions. Assuming no vaccination, the burden of HZ is projected to rise over the coming years with the aging populations consequently worsening its impact on GHG emissions. (Figure 1).

Keywords: Herpes zoster; climate change; environmental sustainability; healthcare resource.

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Conflict of interest statement

DC, JB and SW are employed by/hold shares in GSK. JB declares participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board/Advisory Board and financial services from GSK, outside of the submitted work. IC is an employee of Carbon Trust, who was engaged by GSK to complete part of the work related to this manuscript. All authors declare no other financial and non-financial relationships and activities.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Plain language summary.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Annual total kgCo2e associated with herpes zoster cases by healthcare resource based on (a) Johnson et al. (b) Meyers et al.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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