Headache Characteristics and Risk Factors Among Healthcare Providers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-09, Vol.15 (9), p.e45377-e45377
• Main Authors: Alturaiki, Hassan M, Aldawood, Mohammed A, Alghirash, Fatimah, Alhajji, Abdullah M, Almubarak, Abdullah, Al Boesa, Shima, Hakami, Faisal, AlMuslim, Nora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-inflammatory agents; Anxiety; Caffeine; Family/General Practice; Headaches; Marital status; Medical personnel; Migraine; Neurology; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Nurses; Public Health; Questionnaires; Response rates; Risk factors; Sociodemographics
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45377

IntroductionHeadache is a considerable factor in decreased productivity and work efficiency. This study aims to measure the characteristics of headaches and the risk factors among healthcare providers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 353 healthcare providers from Al-Alhsa, Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was conducted to assess the demographic and occupational characteristics, headaches, numerous factors such as smoking, caffeine intake, physical activity, and medical conditions to determine their associations with headaches, as well as the impact of headaches on productivity.ResultsAmong participants who reported headaches, 15.6% and 4.5% had been previously diagnosed with tension headaches and migraines, respectively. The mean duration of headaches was 7.09±18.16 hours; 38.5% of headaches were throbbing in nature, while 61.5% were pressing. The headache was on one side in 51.6% and accompanied by nausea and vomiting in 41.1% and 24.1%, respectively. Moreover, 53% and 41.9% experienced worsening of headaches by exercise and light, respectively. Tension headaches occurred more in older healthcare providers (P