Prevalence of migraine and tension type headache among 20 to 59 year old adults in the Gampaha district

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: World Health Organization has identified headache disorders as a public health problem which may be primary or secondary. Of the former migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) are the most common primary headache disorders. OBJECTIVE: TO determine one-year period prevalence of migraine and TTH among 20 - 59 year old adults in the Gampaha district. METHODOLOGY: One-year period prevalence of migraine and TTH among 20 – 59 year old adults in the Gampaha district was determined through a cross sectional descriptive survey. Cluster sampling technique was used to identify the sample. Expected total sample size was 2112. The number of clusters was 64 with 33 per cluster. Primary sampling unit was the ‘Grama Niladhari’ (GN) divisions. Selection of clusters was based on population proportion to size. An interviewer administered validated instrument was developed and used as the screening instrument. RESULTS: The total number of individuals contacted was 2075 and out of that 1854 participated in the study giving a response rate of (89.4%). Crude period prevalence of migraine was 10.4% (95% CI: 9.0 - 11.8) while the age, sex standardized prevalence was 9% (95% Cl: 9.0 - 9.1). Crude period prevalence of TTH Was 20% (95% CI: 18.3 - 22.0) while the age sex standardized prevalence was 20% (95% CI: 19.9 - 20.1). CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The period prevalence of migraine and tension type headache are 9% and 20% for the Gampaha district. Recommend the use of the validated questionnaire for screening for the above primary headache disorders.