Prevalence of migraine, probable migraine and tension-type headache in the Croatian population.
OBJECTIVE
Population-based epidemiological studies about headaches, especially migraine, have been carried out in many countries. The aim of this study was to assess the 1-year prevalence of migraine, probable migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) in the Croatian population.


METHODS
The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey of an adult population sample using a self-completed questionnaire.


RESULTS
The 1-year crude prevalence of migraine without and with aura in this study was 7.5%, of probable migraine 11.3%, and of TTH 21.2%. The 1-year age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of migraine was 6.2%, of probable migraine 8.8%, and of TTH 20.7%; the prevalence of migraine combined with probable migraine was 15.0%. Total crude prevalence of headache (combination of migraine, probable migraine and TTH) was 39.9%. Prevalence of migraine was higher in continental than in Mediterranean areas of Croatia. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the highest risk of suffering from any kind of headache is observed for the following people: living in Dubrovnik, being female, having elementary or high school education, being married, employed and living in an urban or suburban area.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of migraine and probable migraine is similar as in other Western countries. Certain demographic characteristics differ among patients with and without headache.
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Sestre milosrdnice', Reference Centers for Headaches and Neurovascular Disorders of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, HR-10 000 Zagreb, Croatia. vlasta.vukovic@uclmail.net
Vlasta
V
Vuković
Davor
D
Plavec
Sanda
S
Pavelin
Davor
D
Janculjak
Mira
M
Ivanković
Vida
V
Demarin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000453:epidemiology*