The burden of headache disorders in Benin: national estimates from a population-based door-to-door survey.

BACKGROUND

Continuing the series of population-based studies conducted within the Global Campaign against Headache, here we report estimates of headache-attributed burden among adults in Benin, West sub-Saharan Africa, adding to those already published of prevalence.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional survey using cluster-randomized sampling, we visited households unannounced in three geographical regions of Benin: Borgou, Atlantique and Littoral. We randomly selected and interviewed one adult member (18-65 years) of each household, using the HARDSHIP structured questionnaire. Screening and diagnostic questions based on ICHD-3 were followed by burden enquiry in multiple domains including symptom burden and impaired participation. Enquiry timeframes were 1 year, 3 months, 1 month and 1 day (headache yesterday). Data collection took place from May to July 2020.

RESULTS

There were 2,400 participants. Those reporting any headache spent, on average, 8.0% of their total time with headache of moderate-to-severe intensity. Females had more frequent headache than males. Participants with migraine spent twice as much time with headache as those with TTH (5.2% vs. 2.6%). Those with probable medication-overuse headache or other headache on ≥ 15 days/month spent over 50% of their time with headache. Factoring in prevalence and adjusting for age and gender, we estimated that 6.4-6.5% of all time among the adult population of Benin was spent with headache. An estimated 26.7% of the population were assessed as in need of (likely to benefit from) health care for headache.

CONCLUSION

The burden of headache in Benin is substantial in terms of lost health. These findings are important to national health and economic policies.