Epidemiology of headache and migraine in women |
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Authors: | W. E. Waters and P. J. O''''Connor |
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Affiliation: | Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit (South Wales), Cardiff, London;The Central Medical Establishment (R.A.F.), London |
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Abstract: | During a survey of a defined community, 2,933 women aged 20 to 64 years were asked standard questions about headaches. Overall, 78·7% had headaches during the year immediately preceding the survey and this proportion decreased significantly with age. Random samples of subgroups with unilateral headaches, headaches preceded by a warning, and headaches accompanied by nausea were examined clinically. From these clinical diagnoses the prevalence of women with migraine during the previous year was estimated as 19%. Nearly half of those diagnosed as having migraine had never consulted a doctor because of headaches. Women with migraine and non-migrainous headaches kept diaries of all headaches and data are presented for the time and day of onset, severity, duration and relation of menstruation for both types of headache. |
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