PREVALENCE OF HEADACHE; MIGRAINE AND NON-MIGRAINE AND ASSOCIATED CO-MORBID CONDITIONS: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Safya Ebraheem Esmaeel, Anshoo Agarwal, Mashael Mohammed Almazyad*, Lama Abdulfattah Almadani, Rajwa Hussin Alenezi, Labna Saad Alomran and Eslam kamal Fahmy

Background: One of the most prevalent illnesses of the nervous system is headache. People with migraine struggle because it frequently interferes with their regular activities. Migraine has a significant impact on the personal, social, emotional, and physical lives of the patients.

Aims: To study the prevalence of headache (Migraine and Non-Migraine) and associated Co-morbid conditions among the adult population in Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult population from the ages 18 years onwards from both genders who are living in northern province of Saudi Arabia. Our data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire including demographic, diagnostic and therapeutic variables. Data was analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: The study included 421 participants, the majority fall within the 21-35 age group, accounting for 35.4% of the total. 67.5% of participants suffer from headaches, and 32.5% do not. From the 284 participants who suffer from headaches, 47.9% reported experiencing migraines, while 52.1% reported non-migraine headaches. Additionally, the onset of headaches varied, with 38.0% experiencing headaches for 1-10 years, 9.9% for 11-20 years, 10.6% for over 20 years, and 41.5% reporting no recurring headaches. Majority of respondents have heard of migraines, with 88.4% indicating awareness.

Conclusion: A high prevalence of headaches and migraine among general Saudi population in Northern Saudi Arabia highlights the need of targeted interventions and comprehensive healthcare methods in reducing the burden of headaches on individuals and the Saudi healthcare system