An Epidemiologic Study of Headache Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Despite extensive description of headache among patients in specialty clinics and general practices in the United States, there have been few community-wide investigations. In a population-based telephone interview study of 10 169 Washington County, Maryland, residents who were 12 through 29 years old, 57.1% of males and 76.5% of females reported that their most recent headache occurred within the previous 4 weeks. Four or more headaches in the preceding month were reported by 6.1% of males and 14.0% of females. The average duration of the subjects’ most recent headache was 5.9 hours for males and 8.2 hours for females; 7.9% and 13.9%, respectively, missed part of a day or more of school or work because of that headache. Within the month before interview, 3.0% of males and 7.4% of females had suffered from a migraine headache. Consultations with a physician, by specialty, for headache-related problems are described by sex and age of subjects, as is the use of specific prescription and nonprescription medications.