Background/Aims: Headache is the most common new neurological symptom seen by general practitioners and neurologists. This study describes headache consultation, prescription, and referral rates in a large sample of U...Background/Aims: Headache is the most common new neurological symptom seen by general practitioners and neurologists. This study describes headache consultation, prescription, and referral rates in a large sample of UK general practices. Methods: Analysis of data from patients ≥15 years registered at 253 UK general practices diagnosed with headache/migraine from 1992 to 2000. Rates were age standardised using the European standard population for reference. Results: There were 13.2 million patient years of observation. Headache consultation rates were 6.4/100 patients/year in women and 2.5 in men. They were highest at 15-24 years (15.8/100 in women; 5.8/100 in men), decreasing with age. Antimigraine drugs were prescribed at 36.7%of consultations for women and 26.6%for men. Among refer rals to specialists, 55%were to neurology and 30%to general medicine. The neurology referral rate in patients with headache was 2.1/100, and was higher in men (2.7/100) than women (1.9/100). Conclusions: These results provide precis e age specific and age standardised estimates for headache consulting in general practice, in addition to prescribing and referral to specialist care. Consultat ion rates are highest in young women; hospital referrals peak in middle aged men . Research is needed into reasons for referral, and on better ways of delivering headache services.展开更多
文摘Background/Aims: Headache is the most common new neurological symptom seen by general practitioners and neurologists. This study describes headache consultation, prescription, and referral rates in a large sample of UK general practices. Methods: Analysis of data from patients ≥15 years registered at 253 UK general practices diagnosed with headache/migraine from 1992 to 2000. Rates were age standardised using the European standard population for reference. Results: There were 13.2 million patient years of observation. Headache consultation rates were 6.4/100 patients/year in women and 2.5 in men. They were highest at 15-24 years (15.8/100 in women; 5.8/100 in men), decreasing with age. Antimigraine drugs were prescribed at 36.7%of consultations for women and 26.6%for men. Among refer rals to specialists, 55%were to neurology and 30%to general medicine. The neurology referral rate in patients with headache was 2.1/100, and was higher in men (2.7/100) than women (1.9/100). Conclusions: These results provide precis e age specific and age standardised estimates for headache consulting in general practice, in addition to prescribing and referral to specialist care. Consultat ion rates are highest in young women; hospital referrals peak in middle aged men . Research is needed into reasons for referral, and on better ways of delivering headache services.
