Knowledge and Perceptions of Migraine Management and Trigger Factors Among Medical Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:...

Migraines pose a significant risk to the health of individuals who suffer from them. Consequently, healthcare specialists must have sufficient knowledge and awareness to recognize and treat migraines. This study aimed to assess medical students' knowledge and perception of migraine-triggering factors and management methods.

This cross-sectional study was conducted at multiple medical school universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An online survey approach was employed.

In total, 233 participants (77% response rate) filled out the survey. Male students were predominantly represented (81%), and most students were in their fifth year (32.2%) or first year (27%) of medical school. Most participants (60.5%) considered that the prevalent age at presentation of migraines was between 17 and 30 years. Knowledge of treatment modalities compared with the year of study was significantly reported to be medication (53.4%), rest (41%), and alternative therapies, such as acupuncture (4.4%), for managing migraines (p ≤ 0.001). The most commonly recognized triggering factors were light (90.6%), stress (86.7%), and inadequate sleep (85.4%). Statistically significant recognized risk and trigger factors among students with different years of medical school training were female gender (p ≤ 0.001), certain odors (p = 0.018), and hormonal changes (p = 0.043).

This study demonstrated the knowledge and perceptions of medical students with different training levels regarding identifying migraine triggers and the required treatments. Although the findings indicated that students demonstrated a general knowledge and recognition of migraine triggers and treatments, an in-depth study on managing individual triggering factors is necessary.