Migraine Disorders - Prevalence and Disability Evaluation along with its Association with Sleep Quality among Undergraduate Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction: Headache is a prevalent issue among medical students, stemming from academic pressures, clinical responsibilities, and emotional stressors, with implications for reduced academic performance and co-morbid psychiatric illnesses. Of particular concern is migraine, which may disrupt the acquisition of patient care skills. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of migraine, its associated disability, and contributing factors

Methodology: This was a cross sectional assessment of  prevalence of migraine, its disability, and contributing factors among 403 MBBS students through a cross-sectional analytical approach. Data encompassed sociodemographic details, perceived academic stress, headache characteristics via the Migraine Screening Questionnaire and Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS), and sleep quality evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), analyzed with SPSS-24.

Results: Findings revealed a mean student age of 20.41 years, with females constituting 66%. Migraine prevalence stood at 12.2%, with 24.4% experiencing severe disability. Factors linked to migraine included gender, academic stress, comorbidities, and psychiatric conditions, with the latter emerging as an independent predictor. Notably, lack of sleep emerged as the primary trigger, followed by eye strain or excessive screen time.

Conclusion: This study underscores the significance of addressing migraine and poor sleep quality among medical students, highlighting the necessity of promoting good sleep hygiene, effective stress management, and the management of psychiatric comorbidities to bolster student well-being.