Prevalence and factors associatedwith migraine in the students of theFaculty of Medicine of Barbacena, MG – Brazil

Introduction: migraine is a kind of headache in 15% to 25% of the Brazilian population. Several factors are associated to migraine, but its primary mechanism has not been elucidated yet. The correct diagnosis is achieved by applying the criteria established by the International Headache Society (IHS). Objective: to identify the prevalence of migraine among young adults through investigation of headache and associated factors among students of the Faculty of Medicine of Barbacena in Minas Gerais, and also stratification of all patients with headache according to criteria of SIC. Material and Methods: a standard questionnaire was applied to 420 students whose data were analyzed according to the criteria of SIC. Results: From the total, 90.2% of the interviewee declared headaches; and from these, 8.5% were classified as migraineurs. Among those with migraine, the female / male ratio was 1:4. A total of 60.6% characterized the pain as throbbing/pulsatile and 100% reported that the pain lasts four and 72 hours, and presented one or more episodes per month of moderate or strong intensity. Conclusion: headache was found in90.2% of the students, while the prevalence of migraine was found in 8.5%. These results are similar to those data previously published. The present study also shows that the knowledge and application of diagnostic criteria of international classification of headache is essential to establish the correct diagnosis and consequently appropriate treatment of migraine.