Headache profile at a medical institution with a specialized center for headache management

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics of headache to determine the distribution of antimigraine medication use by specialty of treating physician and the cost of the treatment of headache, among suffers by type of employee (health professionals vs. others). BACKGROUND: The services of a Headache Center are usually offered to the employees of the hospital in which the Center is localized; however, the number and related outcomes of employees who use the Center services versus those who use primary care facilities remain unknown in Puerto Rico. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 350 out of 415 (84.3) employees of one of the private hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico regarding their management of headache. The data collected included age, gender, occupation, headache intensity and frequency, type of treating physician and medication use. Contingency tables were used to describe statistical associations among categorical variables. Pearson's chi square test or Fisher's exact test was used to assess significance. RESULTS: Nearly 75 of employees suffers headaches on a regular basis. Among these, 25 classified the headache as severe, 20.3 had 5 or more attacks per month, 62.1 reported that productivity was affected and 85 lost 1-2 days of work per month due to headache attacks. Approximately 20 visit a physician when they suffer a headache, and more than one-third visits a specialist. Only 2.34 of the employees used antimigraine medications (triptans). The use of triptans was more common among those employees attending a specialist for headache treatment than those attending primary care physicians (p < 0.05). A similar finding was observed for employees attending a neurologist versus other physicians (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that headache attacks are prevalent and affect productivity and the cost for this institution was near dollars 4,400.00 per month. Despite the frequency and intensity of headache, less than one-fourth seek medical evaluation. Prescription ofspecific antimigraine medication was more common among specialists suggesting a more aggressive management for headache