Prevalence and Determinants of Migraine Among Headache Patients

Migraine is a common and disabling neurological disorder that poses a significant public health burden worldwide. In China, the estimated prevalence of migraine is approximately 9.3%, with higher rates reported among women and individuals of working age. Despite being one of the most prevalent types of primary headache disorders, migraine remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in many regions of China, partly due to limited awareness and access to specialized care. Concurrently, hypertension is highly prevalent in the Chinese adult population, with nearly one in four adults affected, making it a leading contributor to cardiovascular morbidity. Emerging evidence suggests a potential bidirectional relationship between migraine and hypertension, possibly linked through shared pathophysiological mechanisms such as endothelial dysfunction, autonomic dysregulation, and inflammatory pathways.

Moreover, migraine is often associated with detrimental effects on physical, mental, and social health, including impaired physical function, increased pain intensity, depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and reduced ability to participate in social roles and activities. However, studies exploring these multidimensional impacts in Chinese clinical populations remain limited.

Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of migraine and its association with hypertension as well as physical, mental, and social health domains among headache patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, China.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients diagnosed with headache according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition (ICHD-3).

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with other major diseases or severe mental disorders;
• History of endocrine, immune, or nervous system diseases or other severe somatic diseases.