Prevalence and burden of headache disorders: a comparative regional study in China.
Background.- Since the early 1990s, no study has been undertaken examining the prevalence and burden of headache disorders in China. Objective.- We conducted a one-year survey on the prevalence and burden of primary headache in the Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi. Our study also evaluated the factors behind similarities and differences affecting prevalence in the 2 regions of study. Methods.- Random samples of 372 local residents in Guangdong and 182 local residents in Guangxi aged 18-65 years were invited to a face-to-face interview. Results.- The one-year prevalence of primary headache was 22.6% (84/372) in Guangdong and 41.2% (75/182) in Guangxi. The prevalence of migraine (14.3%, n = 26) in Guangxi was higher than prevalence of migraine (8.3%, n = 31) in Guangdong (P = .03). The ratio of headache cost and household income was 2.1% in Guangdong and 3.7% in Guangxi, the ratio in Guangdong was less than that in Guangxi (P = .001). The diagnostic confirmation rate of migraine was low. No migraineur used triptans drugs to treat migraine in either region. Conclusion.- Migraine prevalence was higher in the lower-income region that also contains a higher proportion of ethnic minorities. Although there was no difference of headache cost between the 2 regions, the headache populations in the lower-income region would relatively suffer a greater financial burden if taking the economic differences between the 2 regions into account. The improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic levels for the treatment of headache, especially migraine, in the 2 regions may be a matter of urgency.
Departments of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Ning
N
Luo
Departments of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yannan
Y
Fang
Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Feng
F
Tan
Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Qian
Q
Zhang
Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Chenxinghai Hospital, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China.
Daliang
D
Zou
Department of Medical Statistics, Institute of Hospital Management, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Xiutang
X
Cao
Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Xuehua
X
Xu
The First People's Hospital Of Nanning, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Hua
H
Bai
Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Chenxinghai Hospital, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China.
Jiangang
J
Ou
Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Haike
H
Wu
The First People's Hospital Of Nanning, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Zilong
Z
Chen
Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Chenxinghai Hospital, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China.
Yane
Y
Zhou
Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Saiying
S
Wan
The First People's Hospital Of Nanning, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Yan
Y
Hong
Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
Jingliang
J
Wang
Department of Rehabilitation, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Minghui
M
Ding
Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Aiwu
A
Zhang
Continuing Learning College of Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
Daoyuan
D
Zhu
Public Health Institute of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Jun
J
Dun