Author(s)

O. S. Ekenze¹, B. A. Ezeala-Adikaibe^1,2*, C. Orjioke², N. Mbadiwe¹, U. N. Ijoma¹, C. Onyekonwu¹, N. P. Ezeala-Adikaibe³, O. Onodugo¹, O. Anyim², T. Okpara², C. B. Nwatu¹, I. O. Onwuekwe¹

¹Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
²Department of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.
³Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.

Aim: To assess the lifetime prevalence of tension-type headache, migraine and chronic daily headache, including the primary headaches in a student population. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data were collected from consecutive consenting students by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to assess demographic data, headache profiles and medical consultation. Results: Four hundred and forty-nine (89.8%) out of 500 students who were interviewed were analyzed. The lifetime prevalence of primary headache was 89.8%; it 90.5% and 88.6% in females and males respectively. The overall prevalence of migraine was 8.9%, with a prevalence of 10.6% in females and 6.5% in males. Migraine without aura was most commonly seen at 73%. The prevalence of migraine without aura was 7.6% in females and 4.9% in males. Tension type headache (TTH) had an overall prevalence of 22.9%, with a prevalence of 28.4% in females and 15.1% in males. Migraine and tension type headache co-existed in 5.8% of the students. About 8.5% suffered from chronic daily headache: chronic migraine 2.9%, chronic tension headache 3.1%. The rate of medical consultation was 54.8% (males 49.7%, females 58.3%). Conclusions: Headache is a common health problem among medical and nursing students in Enugu South East Nigeria where 89.8% of respondents have had primary headaches. The prevalence of migraine, TTH and chronic daily headache was 8.9%, 22.9% and 8.5% respectively. Headaches therefore, represent one of the most challenging neurological disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa where most sufferers do not have access to specialist care.

Primary Headache, Migraine, Tension Headache, Chronic Daily Headache

Ekenze, O. , Ezeala-Adikaibe, B. , Orjioke, C. , Mbadiwe, N. , Ijoma, U. , Onyekonwu, C. , Ezeala-Adikaibe, N. , Onodugo, O. , Anyim, O. , Okpara, T. , Nwatu, C. and Onwuekwe, I. (2018) Prevalence and Pattern of Migraine, Tension Type Headache and Chronic Daily Headache among Medical and Nursing Students in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Health, 10, 1283-1293. doi: 10.4236/health.2018.1010099.