General Questions

HS-USA > HS-USA Patient Surveys > Survey Results

	Total number of respondents (100%): 4436  100%
ABOUT YOU
1. What is your gender?
	Male 533   12%   Female 3791   85%

2. What is your skin type / color?
	very dark 43   1%   dark 295   7%   olive 357   8%   medium / tan easily 1303   29%   fair 1797   41%   very fair 538   12%

3. What is your weight (BMI if you know)?
	underweight (BMI < 18.5) 71   2%   normal (BMI 18.5 - 23.9) 789   18%   slightly overweight (BMI 24 - 26.9) 1162   26%   overweight (BMI 26 - 29.9) 1235   28%   obese (BMI > 30) 1008   23%

4. How old are you?
	under 10 4   0%   11-20 210   5%   21-30 1505   34%   31-40 1476   33%   41-50 770   17%   51-60 213   5%   61-70 52   1%   71-80 19   0%   over 81 23   1%

7. What is your ethnic group / heritage?
	African 347   8%   Arabic 20   0%   Asian 63   1%   Caucasian 3358   76%   Hispanic 156   4%   Native American / Aboriginal 36   1%   Pacific Islander 16   0%   Mixed 194   4%   Other 151   3%

8. Where do you live?
	City 1812   41%   Town 936   21%   Suburban 930   21%   Rural 621   14%   Wilderness 22   0%

9. Are you currently employed?
	full-time 2486   56%   part-time 390   9%   unemployed 289   7%   student 391   9%   home-maker 428   10%   on disability for HS 125   3%   on disability for other reasons 184   4%   retired 35   1%

10. Are you (or have you ever been) exposed to pollutants in your work environment?
	Don't know 1684   38%   No 2242   51%   Yes 391   9%

11. If you answered YES above, can you tell us what kind of pollutants?
	Click here for results 385   9%

12. Additional comments for the ABOUT YOU section:
	Click here for results 389   9%

ABOUT HS
20. How long have you suffered from HS?
	0-2 years 531   12%   3-5 years 627   14%   6-9 years 638   14%   10-12 years 607   14%   13-15 years 474   11%   16-19 years 391   9%   20-24 years 420   9%   25-29 years 238   5%   30+ years 248   6%   don't remember 94   2%

21. What was your age when HS first appeared?
	0-10 222   5%   11-20 2222   50%   21-30 1228   28%   31-40 391   9%   41-50 139   3%   51-60 39   1%   60+ 8   0%   don't remember 50   1%

22. Where on your body did HS start first? (multiple answers possible)
	Armpits 1650   37%   Breasts and bra line 471   11%   Buttocks 830   19%   Groin / labia / scrotum 1995   45%   Thighs 1006   23%   Belly 147   3%   Neck / ears / face 210   5%   Head / scalp 61   1%   Other 121   3%

23. If other, please specify:
	Click here for results 176   4%

24. What was your weight when HS first appeared?
	underweight 225   5%   normal 1943   44%   slightly overweight 1214   27%   overweight 695   16%   obese 238   5%

25. Did you or someone close to you smoke when your HS first appeared?
	Yes, I was a heavy smoker 854   19%   Yes, I was a casual smoker 1383   31%   Yes, I was exposed to second-hand smoke 630   14%   No, but my parents were smokers 562   13%   No, I was not exposed to cigarette smoke 887   20%

26. Which parts of your body have been affected with HS over time? (multiple answers possible)
	Armpits 2977   67%   Breasts and bra line 2118   48%   Buttocks 2482   56%   Groin / labia / scrotum 3501   79%   Thighs 2480   56%   Belly 1303   29%   Neck / ears / face 899   20%   Head / scalp 330   7%   Other 256   6%

27. If other, please specify:
	Click here for results 307   7%

28. At what stage would you discribe your HS today?
	Stage 1 (single or multiple isolated abscesses, without scarring or sinus tract formation.) 377   8%   Stage 2 (Single or multiple recurring abscesses, some scarring and sinus tract formation) 2255   51%   Stage 3 (Diffuse or broad, recurring, involvement across a regional area with multiple interconnected sinus tracts and significant scarring.) 1672   38%

29. What weather conditions make your HS worse? (multiple answers possible)
	Hot weather 1670   38%   Humid weather 1617   36%   Dry weather 94   2%   Cold weather 145   3%   Extreme temperature fluctuations 330   7%   Weather does not change anything 894   20%   Don't know 1375   31%

30. Does stress make your HS worse?
	Yes, definitely! 1453   33%   I think so, but I'm not certain 1783   40%   Stress does not have a negative effect 133   3%   Can't tell 942   21%

31. Are flare-ups associated with a strong itch?
	Yes, the itch comes first 1057   24%   Yes, but only when I take antibiotics 44   1%   Yes, it always itches 630   14%   Yes, it starts itching when it heals 1386   31%   No, it usually doesn't itch 1150   26%

32. As far as you know, what are your three main triggers for flare-ups?
	Click here for results 4366   98%

33. Have you ever experienced a remission for more than 3 months? (If you select No, skip to question #38)
	No 2289   52%   3-12 months 1023   23%   1-2 years 218   5%   2-3 years 118   3%   3-4 years 62   1%   4-5 years 67   2%   5-10 years 47   1%   over 10 years 26   1%   only during pregnancy 93   2%

34. Can you pinpoint what brought you into remission?
	Click here for results 1366   31%

35. Are you still in remission today?
	Yes 240   5%   No 2418   55%

36. If you answered NO to the previous question, can you pinpoint what brought the HS flareups back?
	Click here for results 1560   35%

37. Additional comments for the ABOUT HS section:
	Click here for results 334   8%

FAMILY HISTORY
41. Do you have family members who have HS?
	I don't know 1675   38%   No 1491   34%   Yes 1132   26%

42. If yes, please tell us about them - how many and how are they related to you?
	Click here for results 1211   27%

43. Do you have family members with autoimmune problems?
	Yes 582   13%   No 1952   44%   Don't know 1737   39%

44. Additional comments for the FAMILY HISTORY section:
	Click here for results 753   17%

YOUR GENERAL HEALTH
51. Are you often tired?
	Yes, almost always 1215   27%   Yes, often 2168   49%   No 784   18%   Not sure 137   3%

52. Which other conditions do you have now or have had in the past? (multiple answers possible)

Crohn's 65   1%   IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome 827   19%   PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), Syndrome X, or Insuline Resistence 457   10%   Hypoglycemia (low bloodsugar) 354   8%   Diabetes 335   8%   Thyroid problems 388   9%   Lupus 29   1%   MS (Multiple Sclerosis) 28   1%   Arthritis / Rheumatoid Arthritis 553   12%   Acne / Chloracne / Rosacea 1452   33%   Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) 393   9%   Fibromyalgia 204   5%   Anemia 633   14%   Pilonidal Cyst 581   13%   Asthma or other respiratory disease 845   19%   Excema / rashes / other skin disorders 1001   23%

53. Please tell us about any other health problems:
	Click here for results 1415   32%

54. Do you have any allergies?
	Yes 1995   45%   No 1871   42%   Don't know 426   10%

55. If you answered yes, please tell us what allergies:
	Click here for results 1947   44%

56. Do you have frequent yeast infections (candida)?
	Yes, often 268   6%   Yes, occasionally 818   18%   Rarely 1628   37%   Never 1320   30%   Don't know 224   5%

57. Do you suffer from depression?
	Yes, I have been diagnosed and I have been taking medication 1102   25%   Yes, I have been diagnosed but I don't do anything about it 490   11%   Yes I think so, but I have not been officially diagnosed 1218   27%   No 1470   33%

58. Additional comments for the YOUR GENERAL HEALTH section:
	Click here for results 582   13%

FEMALES ONLY
61. Does your HS get worse around your menses?
	Yes 2482   56%   No 1172   26%

62. Do oral contraceptives affect your HS?
	Yes, it gets worse 129   3%   Yes, it gets better 254   6%   No change 744   17%   I never took the pill 1391   31%   Can't tell 1192   27%

63. If you answered yes above, what pill(s) where you taking?
	Click here for results 566   13%

64. How does your HS change during pregnancy?
	It gets significantly worse 254   6%   It gets significantly better 448   10%   It fluctuates (by trimester) 213   5%   No significant change 715   16%   I've never been pregnant 1811   41%

65. Additional comments for the FEMALES ONLY section:
	Click here for results 728   16%

MALES ONLY
71. Does your HS seem to have a cycle? Does it fluctuate?
	Yes, it cycles regularly 162   4%   It fluctuates unpredictably 699   16%   I can tell what brings it on 129   3%   No, it is always bad 214   5%

72. Please elaborate...
	Click here for results 494   11%

73. Additional comments for the MALES ONLY section:
	Click here for results 34   1%

PAIN
81. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being no pain and 10 being excruciating pain) what is your general HS pain level?
	1 89   2%   2 201   5%   3 327   7%   4 402   9%   5 495   11%   6 513   12%   7 745   17%   8 812   18%   9 262   6%   10 375   8%

82. Do you currently take pain medicaion for your HS?
	Yes, all the time 438   10%   Yes, occasionally 1083   24%   Very rarely 915   21%   Never (skip to question #86) 1826   41%

83. Does your pain medication effectively manage your pain?
	Yes 780   18%   No 1701   38%

84. What types of pain medication do you take? (multiple answers possible)
	Over the Counter (eg., Tylenol, Advil) 1703   38%   Prescribed, anti-inflammatory (eg., Motrin, Ibuprofen) 734   17%   Prescribed, non-narcotic (eg., Davocet, Lortab, Vicodin) 734   17%   Prescribed, narcotic (eg., Morphine, Demerol) 276   6%   Other 220   5%

85. If you selected other, please list:
	Click here for results 243   5%

86. If you're not taking pain medication(s), why?
	Pain is not a problem for me 411   9%   Even though I've asked my doctor about pain medication, he/she doesn't think I need it 274   6%   I am able to manage pain using natural remedies 210   5%   I have a very high pain threshold 775   17%   Other 808   18%

87. If other, please describe:
	Click here for results 896   20%

88. Additional comments for the PAIN section:
	Click here for results 580   13%

WRAPPING IT UP...
91. Do you have any other general comments that apply to the topics covered in this survey?
	Click here for results 630   14%

92. Would you like to tell us your email address? (this is completely voluntary, please do not answer this question if you would like to remain anonymous)
	2232   50%

HS-USA Patient Surveys

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