Migraine among university students in Cotonou (Benin)

Few data are available on migraine among students in Africa. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of migraine and describe its clinical features and associated conditions among students of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Abomey-Calavi University, in Cotonou, Benin.

A cross-sectional study was prospectively conducted during the academic year 2002-2003 and included 336 students selected using systematic random sampling. Migraine was defined according International Headache Society criteria 1988.

The lifetime prevalence of migraine was 11.3% (95% CI: 8.2-15.3%). The prevalence was significantly higher in females (18.3%) than males (6.8%), in married-widowed (30.4%) than single (9.9%). The mean age at onset of the disease was 15.0 years +/- 2.5. Migraine without aura was the more frequent form (57.9%). The mean attack frequency per month was 3.8 (+/-3.4) and the peak attack duration was between 4 and 6 hours. Psychological tiredness was the most frequent triggering factors (92.1%). The factors associated with migraine in multivariate analysis were female sex (OR = 2.6 [95% CI: 1.2-5.3]), single marital status (OR = 3.7 [95% CI: 1.2-11.9]) and presence of a family history of headache (OR = 2.9 [95% CI: 1.0-8.1])

Migraine was frequent in students in Cotonou (Benin) compared with other studies in Africa.