Headaches, Quality of Life, and Academic Performance in Schoolchildren and Adolescents

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Abstract
Background: Just a few studies to date have focused on headaches, quality of life, and academic performance in children. Objective: Determine the effect of headaches on the life of schoolchildren and the association between headaches and academic performance. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional study. One hundred and ninety‐five students from an elementary school were randomly selected out of 355 students aged from 10 to 15 years old. Semi‐structured interview, the P ediatric Q uality of L ife I nventory V ersion 4.0, the C hildren's D epression I nventory, and the S tate‐ T rait A nxiety I nventory were used. The variables relating to academic performance were obtained by consulting the academic records. Results: Prevalence of headaches: headache: 97.3% (179/184); migraine: 51% (94/184); tension‐type headache: 33% (61/184); primary stabbing headache: 7.6% (14/184); unclassified headaches: 5.4% (10/184). Migraine (relative risk: 3.11; 95% confidence interval: 1.54‐6.30) and more severe headaches (relative risk: 7.93; 95% confidence interval: 2.65‐23.7) were associated with lower quality of life ( P < .01; multivariate logistic regression). More severe headaches were associated with lower grades in school ( P < .01; multiple linear regression). Variables relating to headaches were not associated with “failing the school year” ( P > .05; chi‐square test and F isher's exact test). Conclusion: Headaches were found to be associated with lower quality of life and poor academic performance.

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