One-year prevalence of migraine using a validated extended French version of the ID Migraine™: A Belgian population-based study

Abstract

Background: Country-specific prevalence data on migraine and comorbidities are vital to assess the public health burden of migraine and the corresponding resources required for proper management. Considering the absence of reliable statistics, this study aimed to estimate the one-year prevalence of migraine in Wallonia (Belgium) in relation to socio-demographic factors and several health indicators.

Methods: Among the 1071 people aged 20-69 years who participated in the NESCaV survey, 751 (70.1%) were screened for one-year migraine attacks using the "ef-ID Migraine", a validated, extended French version of the self-administered ID Migraine™ questionnaire. Socio-demographic and health data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire and a physical examination.

Results: The overall one-year prevalence of migraine was 25.8%; 40.8% of migraineurs reported visual symptoms compatible with an aura. The prevalence was higher in women than in men (33.9% vs. 17.9%, P<0.0001) and declined markedly after the age of 50 (P=0.005). Importantly, migraine was associated with the subjective feeling of poorer health (P=0.0004). No other socio-demographic factor or health indicator studied was significantly correlated with migraine.

Conclusions: High prevalence of migraine and strong association with feeling of poor health should incite health authorities to institute more active public health and management policies with regards to the migraine problem.

Keywords: Facteurs socio-démographiques; Health indicators; Indicateurs de santé; Migraine; Migraine avec aura; Migraine with aura; Prevalence; Prévalence; Socio-demographic factors.