Half of Irish people aged 50 – 60 say they don’t know much about shingles despite being at increased risk – new research from GSK Ireland1
- More than half of those surveyed (51%) say they feel younger than their age – potentially overlooking their shingles risk1
- Over half (52%) of those with co-morbidities or a compromised immune system have little or no knowledge about shingles1
- 72% of respondents say they are under significant stress – which can further weaken the immune system and increase the risk of developing shingles1
- Globally, shingles will affect up to 1 in 3 people in their lifetime,2 and its pain is often described as aching, burning, stabbing or shock-like2
- ‘Shingles Awareness Week Global Survey’ research unveiled to coincide with Shingles Awareness Week 2025 (24th February – 2nd March)1
Half of Irish people aged between 50 – 60 say they don’t know much about shingles, according to new research conducted to coincide with Shingles Awareness Week 2025, which is taking place from 24th February – 2nd March.1
Considering that over half (51%) of those surveyed also say that they feel younger than their age1, a positive indicator of healthy ageing, this is a concern since 90% of adults carry the varicella zoster virus putting them at risk of shingles.2 As immune function declines with age this virus, which remains dormant in the nervous system, can reactivate causing shingles.2
48% of respondents in the survey reported long-term health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic kidney disease1. This may indicate that a large proportion of the population aged between 50 and 60 have a degree of immunocompromise which could place them at increased risk of shingles.
Despite that, just 9% say they are very concerned about contracting shingles, with 45% saying they are a little bit concerned, and 37% saying they are not at all concerned1.
Only 24% of those surveyed are very aware of age-related diseases and take proactive steps to limit their impact, 55% are somewhat aware and try to stay healthy by taking some precautions, while 12% of respondents are not aware of any conditions that may affect them now or in the future1.
In addition to age, pre-existing health conditions and ongoing medical treatment, stress and negative feelings such as loneliness and depression can further weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of developing shingles. 56% of respondents report that stress is affecting daily life, while 16% ‘struggle to cope most days’ and 2% are at ‘crisis level’1, which may potentially increase their risk.
Over one quarter (28%) of Irish people are also not aware that you can develop shingles more than once and over four in ten (42%) did not know that blindness is a rare complication of shingles. Additionally, over four in ten (41%) incorrectly believe that shingles is contagious, while a quarter of people surveyed (25%) did not understand the link between chickenpox and shingles. 21% are also unaware that shingles can cause long-term nerve pain.4
One-in-three people who have had chickenpox are at risk of developing shingles in their lifetime.2 The disease, which typically presents as a rash, with painful blisters across the chest, abdomen or face,5 is often described as aching, burning, stabbing or shock-like. 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. 2, PHN occurs in around 20% of all shingles cases, with the over-50s particularly at risk.6 10-15% of shingles cases can affect the eye which in some cases can result in serious eye complications.7
Eavan Daly, Country Medical Director at GSK Ireland, commented: “Many people have misunderstandings about shingles and are unaware of the risk factors linked to developing shingles., Shingles Awareness Week provides an opportunity to talk about shingles and address knowledge gaps about shingles risk, particularly among those who are aged 50 and over. Our data shows that many individuals in this age group underestimate their susceptibility to age-related diseases and are unaware of their potential risks. Shingles can have a severe impact on a person’s health and quality of life, particularly for those with existing long-term conditions, which continues to drive our efforts to raise awareness and encourage people to speak with their healthcare provider to learn more.”
GSK Ireland is also running a shingles disease awareness campaign across radio and social media in March and early April, encouraging people to speak to a healthcare professional or visit understandingshingles.ie to learn more about shingles.
About Shingles Awareness Week
Shingles Awareness Week (24 February – 2 March 2025) is an annual global awareness week dedicated to addressing the lack of knowledge about the risks and severity of shingles. In collaboration with the International Federation on Ageing (IFA), Shingles Awareness Week was set up to encourage informed conversations between adults, particularly if aged 50 and over, and their healthcare professionals about shingles.
About Shingles:
Shingles is most common in people +50 years of age and older, and those with a weakened immune system.
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. By age 50, VZV is present in almost all adults,2 and may reactivate with advancing age. As people age, the strength of the immune system response to infection wanes, increasing the risk of developing shingles.
Shingles typically presents as a rash, with painful blisters across the chest, abdomen, or face.2,5 The pain is often described as aching, burning, stabbing or shock-like.
Following the rash, a person can also experience post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a long-lasting nerve pain that can last weeks or months and can occasionally persist for several years.2 PHN is the most common complication of shingles, occurring in 20% of all shingles cases.6 10-15% of shingles cases can involve the eye which can in turn lead to a range of serious eye complications.7
Shingles Awareness Week 2025 Global Survey
The Shingles Awareness Week Global Survey was conducted by Ipsos, on behalf of GSK.1 The online research involved 8,400 adults aged 50-60, including 400 respondents from Ireland. Additional countries surveyed included: Brazil, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, and USA. The survey was undertaken in 10 languages.1
This survey was developed to explore perceptions of ageing in adults aged 50-60, and their understanding of how age-related decline in immune function may affect their bodies’ ability to protect them from infection and disease, like shingles. Data was collated from 10 questions covering shingles awareness, age-related decline in immunity, chronic conditions and healthy ageing. Participants committed to full transparency regarding data monitoring and the use of their anonymised data.1
The Shingles Awareness Week Global Survey was commissioned and funded by GSK.
About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.
About GSK Ireland
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. We have a long heritage in Ireland, operating here for almost 100 years. Today, our Dublin headquarters is home to our commercial business. Through our sales, marketing, market access and medical teams, we make a range of over 100 prescription medicines and vaccines available to adults in Ireland. Find out more at gsk.com/en- gb/locations/ireland/
