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Headache and coping in a female working population
Ragnhild Raak1, Lis Karin Wahren
1Department of Welfare and Care, Linköping University, Sweden. raraa@ivv.liu.se
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
|December 6, 2005
Summary
Working women frequently experience tension-type headaches, often linking them to stress. Coping strategies differ between those with and without headaches, suggesting stress management could be key for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Tension-type headache (TTH) is a prevalent and costly disorder in the working population.
- High prevalence necessitates understanding TTH in working women and their coping mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of TTH in a working female population.
- To compare pain coping strategies of TTH sufferers with stress coping of pain-free individuals.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 400 female hospital workers in Sweden regarding headache experience.
- Utilized Headache Questionnaire, Jalowiec Stress-coping Questionnaire, and Coping Strategy Questionnaire.
- Assessed pain coping and stress coping styles.
Main Results:
- 64.3% responded; 78% reported TTH in the past 3 months.
- 57% linked stress to headache; 90% had no prior medical consultation for headache.
- Increased pain behavior was a common coping strategy; emotive coping differed significantly between groups.
Conclusions:
- Stress management and coping strategies may impact TTH experience.
- TTH prevention programs should consider stress and coping interventions.