Non-migrainous headache, neck or shoulder pain, and migraine--differences in association with background factors in a city population.
OBJECTIVE
To study the pattern of association of background factors with reported migraine, non-migrainous headache, and neck or shoulder pain.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional survey the population of the municipality of Tromsø between 20 and 56 years of age was screened for risk factors of different diseases. Everybody attending the screening was given a questionnaire on psychosocial, lifestyle, and health factors. The odds ratios of reporting migraine, non-migrainous headache, and neck or shoulder pain were estimated by logistic regression for several background factors.


METHODS
A population-based study conducted in the municipality of Tromsø, northern Norway.


METHODS
In a survey of risk factors for diseases in 1987/86, all the subjects between 20 and 56 years of age in the municipality of Tromsø were invited. The attenders were given a questionnaire about lifestyle, health, and psychosocial factors. Of the 18105 people who were given a questionnaire, 8537 men and 9162 women (97.7%) answered the questions about "non-migrainous headache", 8533 men and 9117 women (97.5%) answered the questions about neck or shoulder pain, and 8024 men and 7690 women (86.8%) the questions about migraine.


RESULTS
"Self estimated health" had the strongest association with all three target conditions although the strength of the association between headache and neck or shoulder pain was far higher than that of migraine. The reporting of headache and neck or shoulder pain was associated with psychosocial factors, in contrast to migraine. The less educated women were prone to both headache and neck or shoulder pain, while there was no association between migraine and length of education. The explored lifestyle factors were not associated with any of the target conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings underscore that migraine is reported by people with psychosocial backgrounds other than those of people who report chronic headache and neck or shoulder pain.
Hasvold
T
T
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway.
Johnsen
R
R
Førde
O H
OH
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012782:Shoulder; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population