The Prevalence of Headache in a Small New Zealand Town

Abstract

SYNOPSIS Information on the prevalence, characteristic features and possible causative factors of headache was collected from 1138 adults who participated in a multiphasic health survey in Milton in May 1981. Thirty‐nine percent of men and 60% of women experienced headaches in the year preceding the survey. Total prevalence of headache peaked in men 30–39 years and in women aged 20–29 years and thereafter decreased with increasing age. The most commonly reported positions for headache were at the forehead unilaterally and bilaterally. The most common precipitating factors were ‘too much’ alcohol (men only), tiredness, mental stress and eye strain. Chocolate was the food most commonly blamed for the headache. No association was found between headache frequency and blood pressure or smoking habit. However the psychometric scores for anger, anxiety and depression were positively related to frequency of headache.

Gender differences in the association of life style factors to the prevalence and symptoms of migraines and other headaches among Navy personnel

“…These findings are consistent with a cross-sectional study of headaches from Denmark [14] and other countries [24][25][26][27], in that no association was found with alcohol consumption. In contrast to previous studies [14,[24][25][26][27], the present study found a strong association between cigarette smoking and headaches, headaches accompanied by migraine symptoms, and diagnosed The present study found no association between reported exercise and headaches or symptoms, while the Denmark study found a significant association between reported lack of physical activity and tension headaches [14].…”

“…In contrast to previous studies [14,[24][25][26][27], the present study found a strong association between cigarette smoking and headaches, headaches accompanied by migraine symptoms, and diagnosed The present study found no association between reported exercise and headaches or symptoms, while the Denmark study found a significant association between reported lack of physical activity and tension headaches [14]. That study [14] also found an association between tension and migraine headaches and sleeping problems, but not length of sleep.…”

Epidemiology of Headache

“…In the United States, Markush et al (50) achieved a one-year period prevalence on 24% among young women, but it was not in a random sample. In a small New Zealand Town, Paulin et al (53) reported a prevalence of 6% in men and 19% in women. In a population-based telephone interview study of 10,169 Washington County subjects (12-29 years) Linet et al (41) reported a 4-week migraine prevalence of 3% for males and 7% for females.…”

Diagnostic and Treatment Implications of Psychiatric Comorbidity with Migraine

“…This limitation is overcome and the strength of the association between these disorders more thoroughly supported in six systematic studies of migraine, mood, and anxiety disorders in community samples (summarized in Table 1) (18, [26][27][28][29][30]. All of these studies found associations among migraine, major depression, and anxiety disorders.…”