Lifestyle behaviors and illness-related factors as predictors of recurrent headache in U.S. adolescents.

PURPOSE

This study describes a multivariate model showing how lifestyle behaviors (skipping meals, water intake, tobacco use, alcohol use, and physical activity) and illness-related factors (depression, somatic complaints, insomnia, and obesity) work together to predict headache in an adolescent population.

METHOD

A descriptive, cross-sectional, secondary analysis using survey data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1996) is reported. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health is a large database providing a nationally representative sample of adolescents (aged 11-17 years, n = 13,570). The database evaluated adolescent headache and is inclusive of all the predictors specific to this study. Frequency analysis and forward logistic regression were performed using each of the lifestyle behaviors and illness-related factors.

RESULTS

Approximately 26% of the adolescents experienced recurrent headache. Recurrent headache was reported by 19% of male adolescents and 26% of female adolescents. A multivariate model was developed that showed how lifestyle behaviors and illness-related factors predict recurrent headache in adolescents. The final model (Wald F = 86.88, p = .00) consisted of the following predictors: chest pain, muscle and joint pain, skip breakfast three or more times a week, skip lunch one or more times a week, and physical activity. The interactions of gender and age group, race and smoking regularly, and depression and insomnia were also included in the final model.

CONCLUSION

Providing evidence to clinicians that lifestyle behaviors and illness-related factors are associated with adolescent headache may improve overall headache assessment and may result in a more comprehensive plan of treatment.