The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with tension-type headache: A multicenter survey
Yasemin Ekmekyapar Firat, Ayse Munife Neyal, Buket Ozkara Yilmaz, Sibel Karsidag, Nilgun Cinar, Sude Kendirli, Sevki Sahin, Miruna Florentina Ates, Emine Kilicparlar Cengiz, Abdurrahman Neyal, Nesrin Ergin, Aysin Kisabay Ak, Aysegul Seyma Saritas, Meltem Karacan Golen, Dilek Yilmaz Okuyan, Ebru Ergin Bakar, Fettah Eren, Nazli Gamze Bulbul, Aysegul Demir, Baki Dogan, Silanur Seven, E. A. Demirel, Ali Kemal Erdemoglu, Gulsum Comruk
article (Uluslararası, Hakemli) | Yazar(lar): Yasemin Ekmekyapar Firat, Ayse Munife Neyal, Buket Ozkara Yilmaz, Sibel Karsidag, Nilgun Cinar, Sude Kendirli, Sevki Sahin, Miruna Florentina Ates, Emine Kilicparlar Cengiz, Abdurrahman Neyal, Nesrin Ergin, Aysin Kisabay Ak, Aysegul Seyma Saritas, Meltem Karacan Golen, Dile
Background & Objective: Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common primary headache. TTH worsens quality of life and is related to various psychosocial factors. We aimed to examine the severity of headache (intensity, frequency, and duration), analgesic use, quality of life (QoL), and the impact of COVID pandemic-induced stress in TTH patients. Methods: TTH cases seen at neurology outpatient clinics in 15 centers in Turkey were included in the study. A questionnaire incorporating sociodemographic and medical information, headache features, sleep quality, general quality of life, and impact of the pandemic event was administered to the subjects. Results: A total of 975 TTH patients were evaluated. Headache severity was higher in women as well as in patients with a history of COVID-19 contact. Women, those with chronic diseases, and cases with a COVID-19 contact history had worse perceptions of quality of life and were affected to a greater extent by the pandemic. The factors affecting the impact of the pandemic were female gender and difficulty in access to health services for headache. Co-existing chronic diseases and lost productive time due to headaches were negative determinants for both QoL and the impact of the pandemic. Conclusion: Our results show that the COVID pandemic severely worsened the headache burden, quality of life and mental health of TTH patients. These findings can guide us in the clinical approach to TTH cases.