Original scientific paper
Migraine and Tension-Type Headache in Medical Students: A Questionnaire Study
Ivana Galinović
; Department of Neurology, University Hospital »Sestre Milosrdnice«, Reference Center for Neurovascular Disorders of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Vlasta Vuković
; Department of Neurology, University Hospital »Sestre Milosrdnice«, Reference Center for Neurovascular Disorders of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Trošelj
; Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Sonja Antić
; Department of Neurology, University Hospital »Sestre Milosrdnice«, Reference Center for Neurovascular Disorders of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Vida Demarin
; Department of Neurology, University Hospital »Sestre Milosrdnice«, Reference Center for Neurovascular Disorders of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The purpose of our study was to perform an epidemiological study of migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) in medical students (MS) at University of Zagreb Medical School and to determine whether there are differences in prevalence, trigger factors, health care utilization and self-medication between sixth year and first year MS. This study included 314 students who answered a questionnaire from October to November 2003. The prevalence of migraine was 8.86% in first year students and 10.90% in sixth year students while the prevalence of TTH was 60.13% and 57.69% respectively. Female students suffered from migraines significantly more often than male students (p=0.017). Female students with migraine linked their headaches to their menstrual cycle significantly more often than female students with TTH (p=0.011). Significantly more first year students have visited a doctor concerning their headaches than sixth year students. Also, there is a significantly higher level of self-medication amongst sixth year students. Our study has shown that a relatively large percent of MS suffers from TTH; a low percent is seeking medical advice for headaches, the majority is self-medicated, and an unacceptably low percentage is taking triptans for migraine.
Keywords
headache; medical students; migraine; tension-type headache; questionnaire study
Hrčak ID:
39548
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2009.
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