Purpose : The purpose of the study was to examine the occurrence of childhood headache at the start of school.
Method : The survey was performed by a special questionnaire on 552 children in grade 1(195 children) and grade 6(357 children) at the thre...
Purpose : The purpose of the study was to examine the occurrence of childhood headache at the start of school.
Method : The survey was performed by a special questionnaire on 552 children in grade 1(195 children) and grade 6(357 children) at the three elementary schools from 1 to 31 August, 2002 in Gwangju city. The questionnaire was included by frequency, onset age, location, characteristics, degree, time of occurrence, risk factors and family history of headache. I have analyzed the prevalence, features of headache and compared grade 1 with grade 6.
Result :
1) The prevalence of headache was 22.6% in grade 1 and 49.0% in grade 6. Statistically, grade 6 was higher than grade 1 in terms of the prevalence. Male children(24.4%) were higher than female (21.4%) in grade 1. Female children(52.0%) are higher than male (46.2%) in grade 6.
2) The onset time of headache within 6 months in grade 1 children(88.2%) was significantly higher than that in grade 6(64.1%).
3) According to the frequency of headache, there were over twice a week in grade 1 11.4%, grade 6 22.2%, once a week in grade 1 11.4%, grade 6 18.9%, once a month in grade 1 27.2%, grade 6 30.9% and other in grade 1 50.0%, grade 6 28.0%, respectively.
4) According to time of occurrence of headache, there were after school 36.4%, before school 29.5%, at school 18.2% and before sleeping 15.9% in grade 1. There were at school 30.9%, before school 29.1%, after school 28% and before sleeping 12% in grade 6.
5) Children who suffered from severe headache can't live in the routine life were grade 1 20.5% and grade 6 21.1%, respectively. According to the duration of headache, there were within 1 hour grade 1 90.9%, grade 6 81.8%, respectively. On the other hand, over 1 hour, there were grade 1 9.1% and grade 6 18.2%, respectively.
6) According to the location of headache, there were diffuse 71.5%, localized 29.5% in grade 1. There were diffuse 61.7%, localized 38.3% in grade 6.
7) Risk factors of headache were, in grade 1, fatigue (34.0%), stress (25.0%), weather change(18.2%), anxiety(11.4%), and others(11.4%). In grade 6, there were fatigue(44.3%), stress(34.0), weather change(10.9%), others (5.7%) and anxiety(5.1%).
Conclusion : Starting school represents a remarkable life event for children. Starting school results in increasing significantly the incidence density of overall headache. As a result, it is important to develop preventive intervention methods and to prepare children to deal with the life changes caused by school start.