Over half-of-the-population yearly affected by headache: Study

LONDON: Headaches are one of the most prevalent and disabling conditions worldwide seen mainly among adults between 20 and 65.

More than 52 percent of the global population are affected by a headache disorder every year, with 14 percent reporting migraines, according to study.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology reviewed 357 publications from between 1961 and the end of 2020 to estimate the global prevalence of headaches.

The review, published in The Journal of Headache and Pain, showed about 26 percent of people reported a tension-type headache and 4.6 percent reported a headache for 15 or more days per month.

Further, the studies also indicated that about 15.8 percent of the world’s population have a headache on any given day, and almost half of those individuals report a migraine (7 percent).

“We found that the prevalence of headache disorders remains high worldwide and the burden of different types may impact many. We should endeavour to reduce this burden through prevention and better treatment,” said lead author Lars Jacob Stovner.

Headaches were more common in females than males, most markedly for migraines (17 percent in females compared to 8.6 percent in males) and headaches for 15 or more days per month (6 percent in females compared to 2.9 percent in males).

The team suggested that further investigation into middle and low-income countries would help present a more accurate global estimate. “Overall, headache disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and can be a high burden. It may also be of interest in future to analyse the different causes of headaches that varied across groups to target prevention and treatment more effectively,” Stovner said.