Affiliation:
1. Neurology Department, Khoramabad University of Medical Sciences, Lorestan, Iran; 2Farzan Clinical Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background: Headache is a prevalent and disabling condition affecting people in all age groups
worldwide, leading to low job performance and quality of life with a significant economic burden
on societies.
Objective: We evaluated headache prevalence and characteristics and some probable associated
factors in patients referring to neurology specialist clinics.
Study Design: Cross sectional study
Setting: Clinics of Khoramabad and also those referring to the emergency department of
Khoramabad University Hospital.
Methods: One thousand patients with a chief concern of headache were assigned to the study.
All patients filled out a structured questionnaire to gather demographic information and data on
headache characteristics and associated factors, including past medical and psychiatric history,
history of oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) overuse,
and menstruation.
Results: The total prevalence of primary headaches was 78.2%, with migraine (with and without
aura) being the most prevalent type with a prevalence of 41.6% followed by tension type headache
found in 31.6% of the study population. Primary headaches were significantly more common in
women and younger age groups. Factors found associated with a significantly higher prevalence of
primary headaches were lower economic level, higher educational level, occupation, OCP use and
NSAIDs overuse. Secondary headaches, with a total prevalence of 20.1%, significantly increased
in older age groups and higher economic levels and were significantly less prevalent in higher
educational levels.
Limitations: The study population is not quite representative of the general population of Iran.
Conclusion: Results highlight the impact of socioeconomic factors on headache epidemiology in
a developing country and demonstrate that OCPs and NSAIDs overuse might have an effect on the
distribution of primary headaches. Further multicenter studies are needed to evaluate headache
epidemiology in the whole country.
Key words: headache, prevalance, migraine, tension-type headache
Publisher
American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
Subject
Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Cited by
9 articles.
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