Prevalence of Primary Headache Disease and Associated Factors with it among Rift Valley University Adama Campus Students, 2019

Abstract Background: Headache is a highly prevalent condition among University students than among other population groups but usually under-diagnosed and under-treated. Headache attacks lead to the loss of days of study and poor academic performance. However, the situation in Ethiopia is not well documented. Therefore, this research aimed to assess the prevalence of primary headache and associated factors among Rift Valley University Adama Campus Students. Methodology: Participants were selected using stratified random sampling from three faculties of Rift Valley University, Adama. An interviewer-administered questionnaire developed by reviewing related literature and headache-attributed restriction, disability, social handicap, and impaired participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire and used to collect the data. STATA 12 was employed for data cleaning and analysis. Variables with a P-value of 0.25 and below on the bivariate logistic regression were considered for Multivariate analysis. Finally, a P-value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: A total of 240 students participated in this research. The mean age of the students was 23.5 ± 2.4 years, 57.5% of them were female, 85.4 single, and 67.50% of them were urban dwellers. Almost all (97.9%) of the respondents experienced a headache in their lifetime and 61.3% within the last 30 days. Among those who experienced headache 69 (28.75%) had a primary type of headache. Forty-one (17.1%) of the respondent’s fulfilled the criteria for tension-type headache, 28 (11.7%) migraine, and 155 (64.58) had an unclassified type of headache. After controlling possible confounding effects of other covariates, age 23-28 year [AOR: 3.52, 95% CI= 1.69, 7.23], students from business faculty [AOR: 0.30, 95% CI= 0.11, 0.79], being from urban areas [AOR: 2.13, 95% CI=1.04, 4.35], had history of nausea and vomiting [AOR: 8.49, 95% CI= 3.12, 23.15] and bothered by bright light [AOR: 2.15, 95% CI=1.30,3.57] had a significant association with primary headache. Conclusion: Headache is a common complaint among Rift Valley University Adama Campus students and it limits the daily activity of the majority of the sufferers. Students need proper education about treatment to ease their suffering and forestall complications.