مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Sociodemographic and clinical features of migraine patients admitted to Ağrı State Hospital

Abstract :

Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sociodemographic features and social disability of the migraine patients in Ağrı. Materials and Methods: Demographic features, migraine features, Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores and days with headache per month of the migraine patients who admitted to neurology outpatient clinic were retrospectively evaluated. Results: There were 642 migraine patients (M/F: 1/5) diagnosed by ICHD-III criteria. Average age was 29.8 years (7-71 yrs). The education level was low (36% illiterate, 36% primary school) and housewives formed the majority of the patients (64%). The time period between beginning of the attacks and the diagnosis with migraine was 5.3 years on average; however, this period was significantly decreasing with higher education levels (p 0.01). The percentage of first degree relatives of the patients with migraine history was very high with 74%. 21.7% of the patients had migraine with aura, whereas %21.7 of the patients had chronic migraine. The most frequent trigger of migraine was emotional stress (30%). Severe disability was observed in 9.5% of the patients; 27% of the patients had moderate disability; %25.5 had mild disability and 38% had minor/no disability depending on MIDAS scores. Conclusion: Diagnose interval was longer in migraine patients with lower education level. Chronic migraine rate was higher. Decreased awareness of migraine in patients with lower education level may be the most important cause of these results. Decreasing the rate of social disability due to headache at lower educated societies may be achieved through increasing awareness towards migraine.