Global, regional, and national burden and trends of headache disorders among children and adolescent (5–24 years old) from 1990 to 2021

Headache disorders are a significant public health concern among children and adolescents, contributing to substantial morbidity. This study assesses the global, regional, and national burden of headache disorders, including migraine and tension-type headache (TTH), from 1990 to 2021 using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. We analyzed the incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) of headache disorders in individuals aged 5–24 years across 204 countries and territories. Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardized YLD rate (ASYR) were evaluated. Trends over time were quantified using the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). Additionally, the relationship between the burden of headache disorders and the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) was assessed. Globally, the number of incident cases of headache disorders increased from 235.9 million in 1990 to 290.0 million in 2021. The ASIR increased marginally, with an EAPC of 0.04% (95% CI: 0.04–0.05). In 2021, migraine accounted for 45.5 million cases (ASIR: 1,767.15 per 100,000), while TTH contributed 244.5 million cases (ASIR: 9,495.77 per 100,000). The highest ASIR of migraine was observed in Tropical Latin America, whereas High-income North America had the highest ASIR of TTH. The global prevalence of headache disorders reached 811.7 million in 2021, with a 23.72% increase since 1990. The ASPR of migraine and TTH increased at an EAPC of 0.09% and 0.05%, respectively. The global YLDs due to headache disorders increased from 10.3 million in 1990 to 12.8 million in 2021, with an overall ASYR increase (EAPC = 0.09%). High-SDI regions bore the highest burden, while middle-SDI regions exhibited the most significant increase over time. A nonlinear relationship between migraine burden and SDI was observed. Headache disorders remain a substantial burden among children and adolescents, with a persistent increase in their global incidence, prevalence, and YLDs. Regional and national disparities highlight the need for targeted prevention and management strategies.