Lifetime prevalence and underdiagnosis of migraine in a population sample of Mexican women

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to evaluate migraine, migraine characteristics, and underdiagnosis of migraine in a large population sample of Mexican women. METHODS: Participants are part of a prospective cohort of Mexican teachers. Between 2011 and 2013, 77,855 participants completed a detailed questionnaire on headache characteristics. Migraine was defined according to criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICDH-II). RESULTS: We found lifetime migraine prevalence was 19%, prevalence peaked at 40-44 years (20.4%) and only 45.1% participants with migraine had a previous diagnosis of the disease. CONCLUSION: Estimated lifetime prevalence of migraine was higher than previous reports in Latin America. Migraine may be underdiagnosed and undertreated in Mexico despite its considerable burden.