Abstract

PARDO CEBRIAN, Rebeca; FERNANDEZ-MARCOS, Tatiana  and  HERRERA, Teresa Lozano. Epidemiological study of headache in Spanish university population. Psychol. av. discip. [online]. 2017, vol.11, n.2, pp.13-27. ISSN 1900-2386.  https://doi.org/10.21500/19002386.2785.

Headaches represent a major socio-sanitary problem due to its high global prevalence and the important implications that they have on quality of life. Stress is an essential factor in the development and maintenance of headaches, a problem frequently encountered in university students. This study analyzes the prevalence, frequency, duration, intensity, diagnosis, medication and distribution of headaches as well as other epidemiological characteristics related to perceived disability and coping strategies. A sample of 458 participants formed by 306 students from the Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM) and 152 people not related to that university completed the "Online Headaches Epidemiological Inquest" created ad hoc for this study. We found a high percentage of people who presented headaches frequently (between 5 and 20 times per month) and were not diagnosed (63.2%). The results are compared with data obtained from other populations and their impact and implications are discussed. The need to implement psychological and multidisciplinary prevention and treatment programs is highlighted.

Keywords : epidemiology; headaches; stress; university students.

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