Impact of headache disorders in Italy and the public-health and policy implications: a population-based study within the Eurolight Project

摘要

Migraine, tension-type headache (TTH) and medication-overuse headache (MOH) are disabling lifelong illnesses. The Eurolight project, a partnership activity within the Global Campaign against Headache, assessed the impact of headache disorders in ten countries in Europe using a structured questionnaire coupled with various sampling methods. Here we present the findings from the Italian population. Questionnaires were distributed to a stratified sample (N?=?3500) of the adult (18–65 years) inhabitants of Pavia province (1.05?% of the general population), randomly selected in cooperation with the local health service. Questions included demographic and diagnostic enquries, and assessment of various aspects of impact and health-care utilisation. Altogether 500 questionnaires were returned of which 487 were adequately completed for analysis (58?% female, 42?% male). Among these, gender-adjusted lifetime prevalence of headache was 82.5?%, higher in females than in males (91.2?% vs 72.4?%; p?