Characteristics of the Patients with Headache at a Primary Care Neurology Clinic

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 18(1); 2000 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2000;18(1): 33-37.

일차 진료기관(신경과)을 방문한 두통환자의 특징

안광병, 김재문*

안광병신경과의원,충남대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실*

Characteristics of the Patients with Headache at a Primary Care Neurology Clinic

Gwang-Byeng Ahn, M.D., Jae-Moon Kim, M.D.*

Ahn Gwang-Byeng Neurology Clinic, Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University*

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d : We investigated the demographic features and characteristics of headache (HA) in patients visiting a primary care clinic (PCC). M e t h o d s : We prospectively collected the demographic and clinical data of 261 consecutive HA patients in a PCC located in Taejon from Oct. 1996 to Jul. 1998. All patients were interviewed and examined by a single neurologist. The types of HA were classified as migraine, tension-type, mixed, and others. R e s u l t s : The mean age at the initial visit was 37.2 ±13.4 years. Women were 3 times more common than men (193 patients vs. 68 patients). More than half of the female patients were housewives (47.5%). Migraine was the most common type of headache (114 patients, 43.7%), followed by mixed type (72 patients, 27.6%) and tension-type headaches (57 patients, 21.8%). 85.7% of patients with HA for more than 1 month had taken medication before their initial visit. Among the 168 patients who reported their attitude toward HA, 55 patients continuously worried about their HA even in the HA-free period. C o n c l u s I o n s : In a PCC, migraine was the prevailing type of HA. The majority of HA sufferers were housewives. J Korean Neurol Assoc 18(1):33~37, 2000 Key Words : Headache, Primary Care Clinic, Migraine, Women, Housewives