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Objective
This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions of the public toward migraine in Saudi Arabia.
Methods
This cross-sectional survey assessed the knowledge and perceptions of migraine among Saudi Arabian individuals. The study was conducted over three months in 2023 (1st of June 2023 to 31st of August 2023) using a prevalidated onl...
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Background/aim
Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder that can lead to disability in children and adolescents. It is frequently accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities, both internalizing and externalizing disorders. While the relationship between migraine and internalizing disorders has been studied, there is limited research on the link b...
Citations
... Several studies have assessed knowledge and perception regarding migraines and their triggers in the Saudi Arabian context; however, these studies have focused on the general Saudi population [19][20][21]. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have examined the level of knowledge of migraine triggers and management among Saudi medical students. ...
Introduction: Migraines pose a significant risk to the health of individuals who suffer from them. Consequently, healthcare specialists must have sufficient knowledge and awareness to recognize and treat migraines. This study aimed to assess medical students' knowledge and perception of migraine-triggering factors and management methods.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at multiple medical school universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An online survey approach was employed.
Results: In total, 233 participants (77% response rate) filled out the survey. Male students were predominantly represented (81%), and most students were in their fifth year (32.2%) or first year (27%) of medical school. Most participants (60.5%) considered that the prevalent age at presentation of migraines was between 17 and 30 years. Knowledge of treatment modalities compared with the year of study was significantly reported to be medication (53.4%), rest (41%), and alternative therapies, such as acupuncture (4.4%), for managing migraines (p ≤ 0.001). The most commonly recognized triggering factors were light (90.6%), stress (86.7%), and inadequate sleep (85.4%). Statistically significant recognized risk and trigger factors among students with different years of medical school training were female gender (p ≤ 0.001), certain odors (p = 0.018), and hormonal changes (p = 0.043).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated the knowledge and perceptions of medical students with different training levels regarding identifying migraine triggers and the required treatments. Although the findings indicated that students demonstrated a general knowledge and recognition of migraine triggers and treatments, an in-depth study on managing individual triggering factors is necessary.
