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Published on: October 22, 2020
Associations between frequent headaches, persistent smoking, and attempts to quit
Karen E Waldie1, Rob McGee, Anthony I Reeder
1Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Headache
|January 26, 2008
Summary
Frequent headaches in mid-adolescence predict increased daily smoking in adolescence and adulthood. Individuals with a headache history also find quitting smoking more challenging than their peers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- A strong association exists between tobacco smoking and headache pain.
- The causal direction between smoking and headaches remains unclear due to limited longitudinal research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the relationship's direction between smoking and frequent headaches using a representative cohort study.
- To investigate if headache precedes smoking behavior or vice versa.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal data from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (N=980) were analyzed.
- Participants reported smoking and headache history at ages 11, 13, 15, and 26.
- Logistic regression models examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations.
Main Results:
- Mid-adolescent smokers had double the likelihood of frequent headaches (OR: 2.16).
- Frequent headaches in mid-adolescence predicted adult smoking (OR: 2.20), independent of socioeconomic status.
- Migraine sufferers with headache history faced greater difficulty quitting smoking.
Conclusions:
- Frequent mid-adolescent headaches increase the risk of daily smoking initiation and continuation into adulthood.
- Individuals experiencing frequent headaches exhibit more challenges in smoking cessation compared to headache-free individuals.
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