title: Herpes zoster knowledge, prevalence, and vaccination rate by race.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of self-reported herpes zoster (HZ) disease and vaccination in a geriatric population and to characterize the deciding factors to receive the HZ vaccine.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional survey of patients older than age 60 years at 3 university-based primary care clinics in the southeastern United States. Participants provided information for age, race, sex, education level, history of having "shingles" or knowing someone else who had shingles, past vaccinations, and factors influencing their decision to receive the HZ vaccine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We surveyed 403 patients (49% African American [AA], 47% white). The prevalence of HZ was 12.4% overall and was significantly different among races (8% AA, 17% white; P = .01). Only 29% of patients (16% AA, 42% white; P < .001) were aware that the HZ vaccine was recommended. The HZ vaccination rate was 7.7% (2% AA, 14% white; P < .001). Only 13.7% of all study subjects reported having any communication with their medical providers regarding the HZ vaccine. Physician recommendation and media had the greatest influence on patients who received the vaccine. Of those who had not been vaccinated, 70% had never heard about it and 59% were interested in receiving the vaccine after the survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a large difference in self-reported HZ and vaccination rates among races. The HZ vaccination rate was low overall, but most patients were interested in receiving the vaccine after the survey. More public awareness and education is needed to improve rates of HZ vaccination.
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics and Research Divisions, Department of Family Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA. leetae@ecu.edu
authors.forename: Tae
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Joon Lee
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Doyle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.forename: Hollie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044465:White People