EPIDEMIOLOGY
OF HEADACHE IN CHILDREN
M.
KNEZEVIC ¨CPOGANCEV, A. KRSTIC
Institute
for Child and Youth Health Care- Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Yugoslavia
Headache
disorders constitute a publish-health problem of enormous proportions with
an impact on both, the individual sufferer and on society, as well as on
the complete family if headache sufferer is child. Epidemiological
knowledge is required to quantify the significance of these disorders.
Examining
prevalence of headache, distribution, attack frequency and duration, as
well as the headache-related disability has assessed the effects on
individuals.
In the period from 1988 to 1999 investigations
were carried out on 24,036 children aged 3-16 and at the territory of Vojvodina.
Recurrent
headache syndrome in children, was found with of 27.46% children aged 3 to
16 years, 26,8% of boys, and 28,4% of observed girls. Headache is found at
the average age of 5 years 2.4 months, increasing with age from 14.oo% to
21.15% in boys, and from 11.52% to 25.84% in observed girls. Recurrent
headache is more frequent in urban environments, with children from
incomplete families, bad family atmosphere and poorer material welfare and
with the second born child.
Headache
disorders deserve more attention, especially concerning strategies leading
to adequate primary prevention, diagnosis and treatment.