title: Self-reported headache frequency and features associated with frequent headaches in Canadian young adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the associated factors for frequent headache among young adolescent Canadians.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the self-administered questionnaire microdata files of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY: 1996 to 1997). Two thousand and ninety respondents representing 793,100 Canadian youth aged 12 to 13 years were asked how often they had headaches in the previous 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2090 adolescents, 1998 (96%) responded. Frequent headaches of "about once a week" or more often were reported by 26.6% of them aged 12 to 13 years (95% CI: 24.2, 28.6). Frequent headaches appear to be associated with a plethora of risk factors germane to the life experience of these young adolescents. All factors were significant at P <.0001 by chi-square analysis and can be loosely categorized as school-related, lifestyle-related, or involving mental health. A multivariate Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis models frequent headaches on a depression scale, a self-esteem scale, and ever having smoked, with 60% sensitivity, and 65% specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NLSCY reveals a remarkable insight into headache frequency and the life experience of Canada's young adolescents with frequent headaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, and IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires