Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, far from all of those who would benefit make use of headache services, largely because of clinical, social, and political barriers to access. Identifying the factors contributing to low healthcare utilization can generate evidence to guide health policy. Our purpose here is better to characterize healthcare utilization patterns in Denmark. METHODS: The Headache in Denmark (HINDER) study is a nationwide cross-sectional survey of people with headache, conducted using SurveyXact (Rambøll Group A/S, Copenhagen). Healthcare utilization was assessed in a study sample generated by population screening and recruitment. Data collection occurred over two weeks, from September 23rd until October 4th, 2021. The questions enquired into disease characteristics, management, burden, medication intake and healthcare utilization. RESULTS: The number of participants included in the HINDER panel was 4,431, with 2,990 (67.5%: 2,522 [84.3%] female, 468 [15.7%] male; mean age 40.9 ± 11.6 years) completing the survey. One quarter of participants (27.7%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were able to manage their headache attacks. Most participants (81.7%) agreed or strongly agreed that their headache was a burden in their everyday lives. The most reported acute medications, by 87.2% of participants, were simple analgesics; of note, 8.6% reported using opioids for their headache. One quarter of participants (24.4%) had never consulted a medical doctor for their headache; one in six (16.5%: more than two thirds of the 24.4%) had never done so despite agreeing or strongly agreeing that their headache was a burden in their everyday lives. Two thirds (65.3%) of participants overall, and almost three quarters (72.4%) of those with weekly headache, had tried one or more complementary or alternative therapies outside conventional medical care. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are indicative of inadequate delivery of headache care in a country that provides free and universal coverage for all its residents. The implications are twofold. First, it is not sufficient merely to make services available: public education and increased awareness are necessary to encourage uptake by those who would benefit. Second, educational interventions in both pre- and postgraduate settings are necessary, but a prerequisite for these is a resetting of policy priorities, properly to reflect the very high population ill-health burden of headache.

One-quarter of individuals with weekly headache have never consulted a medical doctor: a Danish nationwide cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: Large numbers of people with headache who would benefit are not reached by headache services. Among the causes are poor or disorganized provision of headache services, but reluctance to seek healthcare has frequently been identified as a significant barrier. We conducted a national survey of people with headache to assess the extent of this problem in Denmark, a country with well organized, highly resourced, and readily accessible services. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey of adults ≥ 18 years old in Denmark reporting at least one headache day in the last year. We used social media (Facebook) to publicize and drive a recruitment campaign. The survey investigated five items: (1) disease burden, (2) social life, (3) presenteeism, (4) social support, and (5) healthcare utilization. RESULTS: We included 6,567 respondents from May 2021 to June 2021; 70.2% were female, 39.8% male, and mean age was 43.2 ± 13.4 years. Of the respondents, 54.2% reported headache at least once a week, 33.4% reported headache a couple of times a month, and 12.4% reported headache a couple of times a year. Two-thirds of respondents (66.6%) reported that headache limited their social lives occasionally or frequently. Most respondents (86.8%) reported going to work or attending educational activities occasionally or more frequently even though they had headache. Half of the respondents (49.5%) experienced lack of understanding of their headaches from people occasionally or more frequently. Almost half of respondents (43.7%) had never consulted a medical doctor for their headache; even of those with weekly headache, more than a quarter (28.3%) had never done so in their lifetimes. CONCLUSIONS: Headache disorders continue to be a problem, even in a high-income country with free and easily accessible headache services. Further studies are needed to investigate and clarify why even people with the highest burden are hesitant to seek and make use of widely available headache services.

Barriers and gaps in headache education: a national cross-sectional survey of neurology residents in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: A major barrier to adequate headache care is the relative lack of formal education and training of healthcare professionals. Concerted efforts should be made to pinpoint major gaps in knowledge in healthcare professionals to facilitate better educational policies in headache training. The aim of this study was to identify deficiencies and barriers in headache training among residents in neurology in Denmark. METHODS: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey of residents in neurology in Denmark from April 2019 to September 2019. The survey included questions on participant demographics, knowledge of and barriers in headache disorders, guidelines and diagnostic tools usage, contact with primary and tertiary care, medication overuse, and non-pharmacological interventions. Furthermore, respondents were asked to provide a ranked list from most to least interesting for six sub-specializations/disorders, i.e., cerebrovascular disease, dementia, epilepsy, headache, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease. RESULTS: Sixty (40%) out of estimated a population of ~ 150 resident across Denmark accepted the invitation. Of these, 54/60 (90%) completed the survey. Although two-thirds, 35/54 (65%), of the respondents had prior formalized training in headache disorders, we identified gaps in all explored domains including diagnosis, management, and referral patterns. Particularly, there was an inconsistent use of guidelines and diagnostic criteria from the Danish Headache Society (2.74 (± 1.14)), the Danish Neurological Society (3.15 (± 0.86)), and the International Classification of Headache Disorders (2.33 (± 1.08)); 1: never/have not heard of, 4: always. Headache was ranked second to last out of six sub-specializations in interest. CONCLUSIONS: Overall knowledge on headache disorders amongst neurology residents in Denmark do not meet the expectations set out by national and international recommendations. Stakeholders should make strategic initiatives for structured education in headache for improved clinical outcomes in parallel with costs reduction through resource optimization.

Frequent or chronic migraine negatively impacts personal, social and professional life.

INTRODUCTION Migraine affects 16% of the population and is a leading cause of disability. We aimed to describe the treatment status and impact of migraine in a selected cohort of patients with ≥ 4 migraine days per month. METHODS The study was conducted as a large, cross-sectional, multi-country online survey of adults (≥ 18 years) with migraine. Data presented here stem from 306 Danish respondents. Pre-specified quotas were applied so that 90% of respondents had used preventive migraine treatment and 80% had one or more treatment failures. RESULTS The median number of headache days per months was 11.3 (8-17.8) and 89 (29%) of patients met the criteria for chronic migraine. Most patients (n = 213; 70%) had taken preventive treatment (PT) for their migraines and among these 170 (80%) had experienced at least one treatment failure. Ninety-four (44.1%) patients reported being dissatisfied or mostly dissatisfied with their PTs. A negative impact of migraine on either private, social or professional life was reported by 303 (99.0%) patients; and among these, 195 (64.4%) reported an impact in all three domains. CONCLUSIONS Frequent or chronic migraine is associated with a considerable negative impact on personal, social and professional life. Treatment failure is frequent in this patient group, highlighting the need for continuous research and awareness of new treatment possibilities. FUNDING Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation. TRIAL REGISTRATION not relevant.

Individual and societal consequences of hypoglycemia: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia and fear of hypoglycemia threaten individuals' ability to work and drive. We studied the effect of hypoglycemia on the individual and society, with a focus on possible implications of new European union legislation on patients' continued ability to drive. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of Danish Diabetes Association members was conducted to investigate individual and societal consequences of hypoglycemia. RESULTS: A total of 3117/9951 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) (32.2%) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (67.8%) completed the survey. The calculated incidence rates of self-reported severe and mild hypoglycemia were 2.9, 0.6 and 0.1 events per patient year (ppy) in patients with T1DM, insulin using T2DM and non-insulin using T2DM, respectively; and incidence rates of self-reported mild hypoglycemia were 99.0, 23.2 and 10.9 events ppy, respectively. Self-care strategies to avoid hypoglycemia include maintaining higher blood glucose levels (45.7%) and reducing physical activity (15.7%). Few people take sick leave as a result of hypoglycemia, but prolonged mental recovery ≥4 h following an episode of mild or severe hypoglycemia was reported by 8.7 and 31.0%, respectively. 26.5% of patients holding a valid driving license reported having ever had at least one episode of severe hypoglycemia. Patients considering underreporting of hypoglycemia to maintain their driving license were more likely to have experienced severe hypoglycemia (odds ratio [OR]: 3.03; 95% CI: 2.42-3.79; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: A high proportion of insulin-treated patients experience hypoglycemia resulting in fear of hypoglycemia and changes in self-care behavior that may compromise glycemic control. Many patients with a history of severe hypoglycemia consider underreporting hypoglycemic events through concern over retaining their driving license.