Prevalence of migraine among the general population, and its effect on the quality of life in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of migraine headaches, assess the quality of life (QoL) of migraine patients, and compare the QoL between migraine patients and the general population in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 2021 on 2058 adults who agreed to participate in the study and completed a questionnaire. The ID-migraine scale was used to screen for migraine, and participants were divided into 3 groups (normal, non-migraine headaches, and migraine headache). To assess and compare the QoL between the migraine group and the normal population, the 36-item short- form survey was used.

Results: The prevalence of migraine headaches was 37.2%, with a higher prevalence among females (81.1%), and the highest prevalence was observed among students (43.3%). The most common manifestation associated with migraine headaches was photophobia (94.6%), and the most frequently reported triggers were sleep deprivation, stress, and anxiety. In our analysis of the association between migraine headaches and patient QoL, migraine patients showed lower scores in all 8 domains of QoL in comparison with the normal group. Role limitation due to physical health was the most affected domain.

Conclusion: The current study showed a high prevalence of migraine in Jeddah. Insufficient sleep was the most frequently reported trigger. Migraine significantly affects all aspects of QoL in comparison with the normal population.