Migraine and tension type headache in adolescents at grammar school in Germany - burden of disease and health care utilization

Background Tension-type headache and migraine are among the most
prevalent chronic disorders in children/adolescents. Data on health
care utilization for headache in this age group, however, are
sparse. Methods In 1399 grammar school students (aged 12–19 years)
with headache in the last six months in Germany a) the burden of
disease for headache (mean intensity, mean frequency in the last
three months and PedMIDAS means), b) medical care utilization
defined by proportion of students consulting a physician in the
last 12 months and/or taking analgetic drugs in the last three
months by headache types (migraine and tension-type headache) and
by burden of disease were assessed. Results Primary headache
substantially impaired daily living activities in adolescents which
was mainly related to migraine. Medical care utilization and drug
use, however, was low (consulting a physician: 12.0 %, 95
%-CI = [10.3-13.8]; taking analgetic drugs: 29.9 %, 95
%-CI = [27.5-32.4]) - even among students with severe headache
(physician consultation: