Abstract
BackgroundPrimary headache disorders have being increasingly reported in younger populations. They can have significant effects on their quality of life and academic achievement and may cause significant distress to their families.Aims and objectivesTo assess the burden of primary headache disorder and its impact on the quality of life on school student in Kuwait.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among Kuwaiti primary and middle school students of both genders in randomly selected schools located in two governorates in 2018/2019 academic year. Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire for children and adolescents was used to assess the impact of primary headaches on the quality of life.ResultsOne thousand and ninety-one questionnaires were completed by primary and middle school students of both genders; of whom 466 students (girls 321 (68.88%) were diagnosed with primary headache disorders with mean age 11.98 ± 2.03 years. In the month prior to the survey, the effect of the headache was variable. The students lost a mean of 1.99 ± 2.015 days of school while they could not perform their usual activities for a mean of 2.84 ± 4.28 days. Their parents lost a mean of 2 ± 2.03 days of work because of headaches of their children and parents prohibited 5.7% of the students to engage in any activity due to their headaches. Difficulties in concentrations were reported as never sometimes (39.1%), often (24.8%), and always (26%). Majority of the students (51.5%) experienced a feeling of sadness ranging from sometimes to always. Most of the students (67.3%) struggled to cope with the headache and 22.4% were never able to cope. Additionally, 19.4% of students reported they did not want others noticing their headache.ConclusionPrimary headache disorder can have a significant impact on the quality of life in children. It can affect their engagement in activities and academic achievement. Implementing strategies to properly manage schoolchildren with primary headaches can have profound effects on their quality of life.
Highlights
Among chronic pains experienced in childhood and adolescent population, headaches are staggeringly the most prevalent pain experienced in regard to lifetime prevalence [1]
Of 1485 questionnaires that were distributed, 1091 students completed the questionnaire with a respondent rate of 73.4%
We demonstrated variable psychological burdens that will help us raise the awareness of pediatricians, teachers, and family member in order to detect and intervene earlier
Summary
Among chronic pains experienced in childhood and adolescent population, headaches are staggeringly the most prevalent pain experienced in regard to lifetime prevalence [1]. The same children are more prone to develop psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety as well as other somatic symptoms such as abdominal pain [4–6]. These complaints are important to be documented as it was reported that pediatricians failed to recognize the emotional and behavioral impacts caused by their disease [7]. Primary headache disorders have being increasingly reported in younger populations. They can have significant effects on their quality of life and academic achievement and may cause significant distress to their families
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