CHICAGO — Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia were diagnosed twice as often in those with migraine as in those without headache in a major Canadian population survey, Dr. Nathalie Jette said at the American Headache Society meeting.
The data came from the Canadian Community Health Survey, which was conducted in 2002, said Dr. Jette, of the clinical neurosciences department at the University of Calgary, Alta.
Some 36,984 Canadian residents were randomly selected for the survey. Of these, 70% agreed to participate; all the subjects were interviewed at home by trained interviewers, she said.
In the survey, 15% of women and 6% of men self-reported that they had physician-diagnosed migraine. Mental health was assessed using the World Health Mental Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
Psychiatric comorbidities were twice as common in those with migraine than in those without headache. But, after assessing the data, the researchers found that the higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in migraineurs was not related to sociodemographics.
Major depression and bipolar disorder were more common among migraineurs. Middle- and higher-income respondents were less likely to have either condition, regardless of headache status, Dr. Jette said.
The authors also analyzed survey data on health-related outcomes, including 2-week disability, restrictions on activities, quality of life, and use of mental health care. They found that patients with a combination of migraine and major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder or social phobia had a reduced likelihood of a good health outcome, said Dr. Jette, who reported no conflicts of interest.