Prevalence and profile of headache in school-going adolescents aged 10 – 19 years in Benin City: a cross sectional survey

IntroductionAdolescent headaches significantly impact their daily functioning, academic performance, and quality of life. The occurrence of headaches is influenced by genetics, psychological stressors, and environmental exposures. Understanding these influences is crucial for effective management strategies.AimTo determine the prevalence, characteristics, and associated factors of headaches among school-going adolescents in Benin City, Nigeria.MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study among secondary school students. Using a structured questionnaire, data on sociodemographics, headache characteristics, triggers, and impacts were collected. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between the presence of headaches and categorical covariates. All analyses used a significance level of p<0.05.ResultOf the 486 respondents 235 (48.4%) were boys and 251 (48.3%) were girls with a M:F ratio of 1:1.07. The mean age of the study participant was 13.7 (+ 1.78) years. The one-year prevalence of headache was 84%. 92 (18.9%) of those reporting headaches met the diagnostic criteria for chronic daily headache. The most common impact of headache was poor concentration (110; 22.6%). Psychological stress (55.3%) and poor sleep (26.1%) were the most commonly reported headache triggers.ConclusionMore than four in five school-going adolescents have headache at one time in the past year. Reading and concentration problems are the most common adverse effect of headache in adolescents.