Headaches in persons attending polyclinics in Barbados

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Neurology

Background:

• Headache is a common ailment, yet its prevalence, impact, and self-care practices in the Caribbean remain under-researched.
• Understanding these aspects is crucial for improving community health services and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of headaches and associated factors in adults attending polyclinics in the Caribbean.
• To explore the self-care and healthcare-seeking behaviors related to headaches within this population.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among 679 adults attending three polyclinics.
• Data collected included headache prevalence in the past month, demographic information, household characteristics, family substance use, and family history of allergies, asthma, and migraine.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of headache (68.9%) was reported in the preceding month.
• Headaches were more common in adults aged 25-44, women, larger households, and those with family members using substances or having a history of allergy, asthma, or migraine.
• Only 18.4% of respondents sought medical attention for their headaches.

Conclusions:

• Epidemiological variables like age, gender, domestic factors, and family history of specific conditions are significant in understanding headache prevalence.
• Clinical evaluations can be more efficient by considering these factors, potentially reducing unnecessary investigations.
• Further research into self-care practices and barriers to seeking healthcare for headaches in the Caribbean is warranted.