Prevalence of chronic idiopathic musculoskeletal pain and headache in adolescence: a population based Norwegian study

Methods A population-based, cross-sectional study was carried out in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway, during the years 2006-2008. All adolescents aged 12-19 years were invited to participate in the youth part of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study [“Helseundersøkelsen i Nord-Trøndelag (HUNT)”]. Response rate was 78% (8200 responders out of 10.485 invited). The adolescents completed a comprehensive questionnaire including questions about whether they had experienced any headaches and/or any musculoskeletal pain during the last three months, not related to any known disease or injury. They were asked to indicate the location of pain (neck/shoulders, upper back, lower back/buttocks, chest, upper and/or lower extremities). The participants were also asked to indicate how often they had experienced pain in these areas (seldom or never, once a month, once a week, more than once a week, almost every day). The final study population, with complete pain questionnaires, consisted of 7373 adolescents aged 13-18 years.