title: Prevalence of headache and orofacial pain in adults and elders in a Brazilian community: an epidemiological study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Headache and orofacial pain are often persistent and not easy to be evaluated. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of headache and orofacial pain in Brazilian adults and elders in a district of São Paulo (Brazil).
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  population-based cross-sectional; Adults (18-59 years old) and elderly people (above 60 years old) were evaluated according to their socio-demographic characteristics, prevalence and location of pain and associated factors. The subjects were interviewed about their orofacial complaints, which were investigated with a validated questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hundred and five adults and 385 elders agreed in participating of this study. More than half of the population had pain (45.3% of adults and 56.6% of elderly); 10.6% of subjects had bruxism and 10.2% had toothache; 48.6% of the adults with pain and 58.7% of the elders with pain had impairment in daily activities due to the pain. The prevalence of head and facial pain was 55.5%. Headache was more prevalent in the adult group compared with the elderly group. Bruxism was associated with headache (p = 0.029), toothache (p < 0.001), facial pain (p < 0.001) and fatigue at the face (p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed a high prevalence of head and orofacial pain, and their potential aetiologies need further investigation. The pain complaints were associated with comorbidities and the use of medication. Facial painful diseases impact the quality of life of adults and should be diagnosed and treated.
authors.affiliation: Gerontology, School of Arts, Science and Humanities, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia Regina D T
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: de Siqueira
authors.affiliation: Gerontology, School of Arts, Science and Humanities, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Talissa Tavares
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Vilela
authors.affiliation: Physical Activity, School of Arts, Science and Humanities, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alex Antonio
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Florindo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014098:Toothache / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Orofacial pain; adult; chronic pain; cross-sectional study; elderly; elders; epidemiology; temporomandibular disorders