Migraine prevalence and impact: an university hospital employees based study

Headache is a common symptom in the population, with a life prevalence around 90%. It results in an important impact in the life quality of sufferers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of migraine among employees of an university hospital (HC), as well as to measure the headache intensity, interference and impact in the daily activities. A total of 1890 employees had answered to a questionnaire which made possible to carry out diagnosis of migraine. Life prevalence of this headache type was 30.4%. Pain was considered intense, most of the time, by 86% of the migraneurs . It was verified an important impact in the daily life aspects as much during as between the headache attacks. It can be concluded that migraine represents a public health problem among the HC employees. Because migraine brings about an important impact in the life quality of those workers, it is possible that a reduction of working capacity with considerable economic burden exists. This problem deserves, thus, special attention, through a better diagnostic and treatment.