Prevalence and determinants of tension headache among medical students during their clinical years at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, 2019

Abstract

Background: Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common primary headache disorder among medical students. It affects academic performance and the quality of the student's daily lives.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of TTH and associated factors among students at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study involved students at KAU in the academic years from 4th to 6th grades during the calendar year of 2019. For sampling purposes, we adopted a stratified proportional random sampling technique, and for data collection, we used a selfadministered questionnaire. We defined TTH according to the diagnostic criteria in the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3b) from the International Headache Society (HIS). Results: A total of 387 medical students were approached, 50.1% were females, and 49.9% were males; their mean age was 22.8 ± SD 1.4. The lifetime TTH was 43.9%, and the 1-year prevalence TTH was 28.9%, these included both frequent TTH 25% and infrequent TTH 73%. Only 2% suffered from chronic TTH. Female sex was an unconfounded predictor for TTH, and sleeping for less than 8 hours/night was significantly associated with TTH (p<0.05). The most common aggravating factors included studying stressors (83.3%), and psychological stressors (46.5%). Conclusion: tension-type headache is a common problem among medical students. It is highly recommended to provide a stress-free study environment, stress management courses, and relaxation programs.

Prevalence of migraine and tension‐type headache among undergraduate medical students of Kathmandu Valley: A cross‐sectional study

“…The prevalence of TTH was found to be 40.3% in the current study within the global prevalence rate of 12%–78% 22 . Studies from Syria, 23 Turkey, 24 and Nigeria 25 reported much lower prevalence while another study from Saudi Arabia showed a similar prevalence 26 . For TTH, no significant difference was with age, sex, year of study, and staying with the hostel, which is supported by findings of Alkarrash et al., 23 Syria.…”

Association between Stress and Tension-Type Headaches in Medical Students of the School of Medicine & Health Science, Atma Jaya University

“…The result is similar but higher than the result from a survey done by Ekenze et al 19 According to a study done by Nabeel et al, headaches can be caused by numerous factors, such as academic stressors, psychosocial stressors, decreased quality and quantity of sleep, and reduced caffeine intake. 20 The different result between this study and the study by Ekenze et al is caused by some differences in the research procedure. Ekenze et al used the diagnosis from a neurologist, so it was more accurate than the results from questionnaires.…”

“…The difference was caused by the amount of inclusion and exclusion criteria in Nabeel et al's study, which was lower than the number of measures in this study. 20 The participants in this study who suffered Like stress, the prevalence of tension-type headaches in this study is also higher in The difference in muscle structure between men and women and the higher amount of active trigger points in women causes this. 22 Another study conducted by Abboud et al also said that women have a lower pain threshold, which makes women more sensitive to pain than men.…”

Prevalence of Psychological Stress, Tension Type Headache and Altered Quality of Life in Medical Students: A Brief Review

“…Its severity is directly proportional to its negative impact, which includes decreased academic performance, absenteeism, and discipline failures, as well as decreased quality of life and an increase in the identification of comorbid psychiatric problems. 3 A few studies have also discovered a link between medical students' QoL and an increased risk of depression, burnout, and suicidal thoughts. Health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) is a multifaceted notion that encompasses respondents' subjective perceptions of their physical and mental well-being.…”