Migraine-related Disabilities Among Saudi Migraine Patients and its Association with Social Factors

Background: Migraine is a complex disorder triggered by an interaction of multiple abnormalities involving genes, blood vessels, and brain structures. It is characterized by throbbing headaches, mostly on one side of the head. It is one of the most common causes of disability, as announced by the Global Burden of the Diseases (GBD). Objectives: We aimed at assessing disabilities in Saudi migraine patients and addressing the relation between migraine-associated disabilities and social factors in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey randomly through social media channels to the general population around Saudi Arabia. Basic personal information, along with a confirmation of the migraine diagnosis, were included in the first part of the questionnaire, and the respondent's eligibility was determined to complete the survey. Specified questions about the sociodemographic characteristics, migraine attacks and medications, and the items of Migraine Disability Assessment score (MIDAS), were included in the next parts of the survey. Results: Of the 480 total responses, 250 (52.1%) eligible participants were included (mean age of 34.84 +/- 10.14 years; 83.2% females). Most of the participants were married (59.6%), had three or more kids (50.7%), had a bachelor's degree (60.8%), and 52.8% were employed. Only 16.4% of the subjects did regular exercise, and 16.8% were current smokers. No significant association was detected between the MIDAS score and most of the social characteristics, including marital status, number of kids, education level, occupation, and smocking. Conclusions: Most of the migraineurs in Saudi Arabia had a severe disability according to the MIDAS score. Gender, regular exercise, the severity of the disease, and frequency of attack had a statistically significant relationship with migraine-related disabilities. Migraine treatment and prophylaxis were incompetent in decreasing migraine severity and related disabilities in our selected participants.

Automated summary

The study evaluated disability in Saudi migraine patients and its relation to social factors, finding that most migraineurs in Saudi Arabia had severe disability according to the MIDAS score. Gender, regular exercise, disease severity, and attack frequency were significantly associated with migraine-related disabilities.