Primary headaches in female high school students: Types, disability scores and analgesic consumption

Background and Objective: Headache in children and adolescents is among the most common complaints that can cause impairment in their function. The current study is designed to evaluate the frequency and type of headaches and use of analgesics in a sample of female high school students in Tehran. Methods: Three hundred female high school students were included in the study during September 2011 to April 2012. All students were examined about headache. If students had positive history of headache, the second step of examination and physical exams were considered. Frequency and types of headaches and analgesic con-sumption were recorded. The effect of headache on daily function of students was evaluated by MIDAS scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 14. Results: Two hundred seventeen students (72.3%) had headaches. Among them, 86 (39.6%) people experi-enced tension type headaches and 68 (31.3%) migraine type headaches. Mean frequency of headache was 6.6 ± 4.8 episodes per month. Mean MIDAS score was 35.3±5.85 in migraine type headaches and 13.4% of cases had severe disability in daily activities due to headaches. One hundred seventy nine (82.5%) used analgesics for their headaches. Conclusion: According to high prevalence of headache in female students of Tehran, disabilities in daily ac-tivities due to migraine headache and also large amount use of analgesic in them, a screening of female students for headache and appropriate management is recommended