The characteristics and subtypes of headache in relation to age and gender in a rural community in Eastern Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
Headache is a frequent and widespread symptom constituting a major health problem for all age groups, though vast differences are present according to age and gender, as well as population characteristics. In this hospital-based study, we investigated the characteristics and subtypes of headache in relation to age and gender in a rural community in the eastern part of Turkey.


METHODS
A total of 11549 subjects were evaluated, and 4951 patients (42.8%) reported headaches. The 1-year headache prevalence was 38.6% in children, 47.0% in adults, and 23.3% in the elderly (p<0.001). The female to male ratio was higher in adults (p<0.001) and elderly headache patients (p<0.001), but not in children (p=0.654).


RESULTS
The most common diagnosis was frequent episodic tension-type headache in all age groups. Headaches attributed to epileptic seizure and rhinosinusitis were about three times more common in children, while chronic tension-type headache was about three times more common in adults and the elderly. While 60% of patients with migraine were male among the group of children, about 80% of patients were females among the adults.


CONCLUSIONS
The understanding of the epidemiology of headache and subtypes is important as it constitutes a major health problem due to its high prevalence in all age groups.
Department of Neurology, İstanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. drgulcinbenbir@yahoo.com
Gülçin
G
Benbir
Derya
D
Karadeniz
Baki
B
Göksan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology