Prevalence and incidence of headache in adolescent Finnish twins.
OBJECTIVE
The study aim was to determinate changes in prevalence and incidence rates of headache among adolescent Finnish twins.


METHODS
Questionnaire data were collected during 1994-1998 from a nationwide sample of Finnish families of 11-year-old twins who were born between 1983 and 1987 (n = 6262) and again at ages of 14 and 17.


RESULTS
During follow-up, the prevalence of regular headache (ie, at least once a month = RHA) increased from 59% at age 11 to 65% at age 14 and decreased to 63% at age 17. Among boys the prevalence of RHA increased significantly from 59% at age 11 to 62% at age 14 decreasing to 52% at age 17. Among girls the prevalence rates increased significantly between ages of 11 and 14 from 60% to 68% up to 74% at age 17. The prevalence of weekly headache increased in girls between ages of 11 and 14 from 16% to 25%. Incidence of RHA (at least once a month) decreased from 47% at age 14 to 44% at age 17 in girls and from 44% at age 14 to 30% at age 17 in boys.


CONCLUSIONS
RHA is more common in girls than boys during puberty, while the incidence of RHA declined especially in boys during same age period.
Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 1, Turku, Finland.
Ruut
R
Virtanen
Minna
M
Aromaa
Markku
M
Koskenvuo
Matti
M
Sillanpää
Richard J
RJ
Rose
Liisa
L
Metsähonkala
Hans
H
Helenius
Pirjo
P
Anttila
Jaakko
J
Kaprio
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012727:Sex Characteristics