![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
Abstract
Objectives
To analyze psychological distress, comorbidity, and medication consumption among subjects suffering from disabling migraine compared to non-migraineurs controls and to identify those factors associated with psychological distress in migraine adults.
Methods
A case–control study was conducted with data obtained from adults aged 16 years or older [N = 29,478] who participated in the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey. We analyzed socio-demographic characteristics, self-perceived health status, lifestyle habits, presence of concomitant chronic disease, and medication consumption in subjects with disabling migraine the previous two weeks. The 12-item Global Health Questionnaire was used to assess psychological distress.
Results
The prevalence of disabling migraine among Spanish adults was 2.2 percent [95 percent confidence interval [CI] 2.04–2.37]. Migraine was more prevalent in women [77.5 percent] than men [22.5 percent]. Migraine sufferers showed 1.57 [95 percent CI 1.12–2.19] and 3.68 [95 percent CI 2.54–5.33] times more psychological distress as compared to non-migraineurs. Migraineurs consumed analgesics [odds ratio [OR] 8.28, 95 percent CI 6.30–10.89], tranquilizers [OR 3.34, 95 percent CI 2.61–4.28], antidepressants [OR 3.82, 95 percent CI 2.85–5.12], and alternative medicines [OR 1.72, 95 percent CI 1.22–2.44] more frequently than non-migraineurs. Depression [OR 2.49, 95 percent CI 1.66–3.74], chronic bronchitis [OR 2.25, 95 percent CI 1.13–2.47], musculoskeletal pain [OR 1.59, 95 percent CI 1.11–2.28], and worse self-report health status [1.73, 95 percent CI 1.16–2.58] were related to a higher psychological distress.
Conclusion
This population-based survey revealed that individuals suffering from disabling migraine had greater psychological distress as compared to non-migraineurs. Psychological distress was related to a greater consumption of medications, a worse self-reported health status, depression, and other comorbid conditions. Clinicians should be aware of these conditions to improve the management of these patients.