title: Sociodemographic differences in medication use, health-care contacts and sickness absence among individuals with medication-overuse headache.
abstract: The objective of this study was to analyse sociodemographic differences in medication use, health-care contacts and sickness absence among individuals with medication-overuse headache (MOH). A cross-sectional, population survey was conducted, in which 44,300 Swedes (≥15 years old) were interviewed over telephone. In total, 799 individuals had MOH. Of these, 47 % (n = 370) only used over-the-counter medications. During the last year, 46 % (n = 343) had made a headache-related visit to their physician and 14 % (n = 102) had visited a neurologist. Among individuals aged <30 years, the number of days/month with headache was greater than the number of days with medication use, whereas the opposite was true for those ≥30 years. Both the proportion using prophylactic medication and the proportion having consulted a neurologist were smaller among those who only had elementary school education than among those with higher education (p = 0.021 and p = 0.046). Those with a lower level of education also had a higher number of days/month with headache and with medication use than those with a higher educational level (p = 0.011 and p = 0.018). The MOH-sufferers have limited contacts with health-care and preventive measures thus need to include other actors as well. Particular efforts should be directed towards those with low educational levels, and more research on medication use in relation to age is required.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Pernilla.Jonsson@socmed.gu.se
authors.forename: Pernilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.forename: Gunnel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hensing
authors.forename: Tove
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hedenrud
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D051271:Headache Disorders, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics