TRIGGER FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MIGRAINE HEADACHE AMONG NORTHERN IRANIAN POPULATION

Background. Migraine is the most common neurological disorder associated with a wide range of psychiatric comorbidities. It is therefore regarded as a major global health problem due to its high prevalence. Here we investigated the factors associated with migraine among an Iranian population. Methods. This investigation included a cross-sectional study consisting of 270 migraine patients. Initially, a questionnaire was designed based on demographic information and headache characteristics. SPSS analyzed the collected data, and chi-square and logistic regression were used to evaluate the clinical data. Results. Our findings revealed that many migraine patients are experiencing multiple trigger factors, with stressful life events being the most common in both genders and migraine subtypes. The incidence of migraine was higher in women than in men. Among the trigger factors leading to the intensification of migraine attacks, stress, sleep changes, and bright lights were the most common and important causes of headache, followed by tiredness and weather change disturbance. Conclusions. Considering the contradictory reports on the effect of trigger factors on migraine, further studies are needed to be performed. Due to the significance of the socio-economic impact of migraine on patient’s quality of life, strategies for managing these factors should be effectively implemented to improve the community’s health