Later high school start time is associated with lower migraine frequency in adolescents

• Published in: Headache 2021-02, Vol.61 (2), p.343-350
• Main Authors: Gelfand, Amy A., Pavitt, Sara, Ross, Alexandra C., Szperka, Christina L., Irwin, Samantha L., Bertisch, Suzanne, Stone, Katie L., Frazier, Remi, Grimes, Barbara, Allen, I. Elaine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Circadian rhythms; Cross-Sectional Studies; Digital media; Female; Headache; Headaches; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Migraine; Migraine Disorders - epidemiology; Pediatrics; Schools; Schools - statistics & numerical data; Secondary schools; Self Report; Sleep; Students - statistics & numerical data; Teenagers; Time Factors; United States - epidemiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0017-8748; 1526-4610
• DOI: 10.1111/head.14016

Objective To determine whether high school start time is associated with headache frequency in adolescents with migraine. Background Adolescence is marked by a physiologic delayed circadian phase, characterized by later bedtimes and wake times. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., but most high schools in the United States start earlier. The study hypothesis was that adolescents with migraine whose high schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later (late group) would have lower headache frequency than those whose schools start earlier than 8:30 a.m. (early group). Methods This was a cross‐sectional Internet survey study of US high schoolers with migraine recruited online through social media. Comparisons were made between the late group and the early group. The primary outcome measure was self‐reported headache days/month. Results In total, 1012 respondents constituted the analytic set: n = 503 in the late group versus n = 509 in the early group. Mean (SD) self‐reported headache days/month was 4.8 (4.6) versus 7.7 (6.1) in the late and early groups, respectively (p