Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel
Abstract Introduction Worldwide, far from all of those who would benefit make use of headache services, largely because of clinical, social, and political barriers to access. Identifying the factors contributing to low healthcare utilization can generate evidence to guide health policy. Our purpose...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | The Journal of Headache and Pain |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-023-01553-w |
| _version_ | 1797863998563024896 |
|---|---|
| author | Thien Phu Do Mikala Dømgaard Simon Stefansen Timothy J. Steiner Messoud Ashina |
| author_facet | Thien Phu Do Mikala Dømgaard Simon Stefansen Timothy J. Steiner Messoud Ashina |
| author_sort | Thien Phu Do |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Worldwide, far from all of those who would benefit make use of headache services, largely because of clinical, social, and political barriers to access. Identifying the factors contributing to low healthcare utilization can generate evidence to guide health policy. Our purpose here is better to characterize healthcare utilization patterns in Denmark. Methods The Headache in Denmark (HINDER) study is a nationwide cross-sectional survey of people with headache, conducted using SurveyXact (Rambøll Group A/S, Copenhagen). Healthcare utilization was assessed in a study sample generated by population screening and recruitment. Data collection occurred over two weeks, from September 23rd until October 4th, 2021. The questions enquired into disease characteristics, management, burden, medication intake and healthcare utilization. Results The number of participants included in the HINDER panel was 4,431, with 2,990 (67.5%: 2,522 [84.3%] female, 468 [15.7%] male; mean age 40.9 ± 11.6 years) completing the survey. One quarter of participants (27.7%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were able to manage their headache attacks. Most participants (81.7%) agreed or strongly agreed that their headache was a burden in their everyday lives. The most reported acute medications, by 87.2% of participants, were simple analgesics; of note, 8.6% reported using opioids for their headache. One quarter of participants (24.4%) had never consulted a medical doctor for their headache; one in six (16.5%: more than two thirds of the 24.4%) had never done so despite agreeing or strongly agreeing that their headache was a burden in their everyday lives. Two thirds (65.3%) of participants overall, and almost three quarters (72.4%) of those with weekly headache, had tried one or more complementary or alternative therapies outside conventional medical care. Conclusions Our findings are indicative of inadequate delivery of headache care in a country that provides free and universal coverage for all its residents. The implications are twofold. First, it is not sufficient merely to make services available: public education and increased awareness are necessary to encourage uptake by those who would benefit. Second, educational interventions in both pre- and postgraduate settings are necessary, but a prerequisite for these is a resetting of policy priorities, properly to reflect the very high population ill-health burden of headache. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:44:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19ff04b3639e4dbcb6eed1d69e84fc33 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1129-2377 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:44:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Journal of Headache and Pain |
| spelling | doaj.art-19ff04b3639e4dbcb6eed1d69e84fc332023-03-22T11:53:58ZengBMCThe Journal of Headache and Pain1129-23772023-02-0124111110.1186/s10194-023-01553-wCharacterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panelThien Phu Do0Mikala Dømgaard1Simon Stefansen2Timothy J. Steiner3Messoud Ashina4Department of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - RigshospitaletDanish Knowledge Center On Headache DisordersDanish Knowledge Center On Headache DisordersDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Neurology, Danish Headache Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - RigshospitaletAbstract Introduction Worldwide, far from all of those who would benefit make use of headache services, largely because of clinical, social, and political barriers to access. Identifying the factors contributing to low healthcare utilization can generate evidence to guide health policy. Our purpose here is better to characterize healthcare utilization patterns in Denmark. Methods The Headache in Denmark (HINDER) study is a nationwide cross-sectional survey of people with headache, conducted using SurveyXact (Rambøll Group A/S, Copenhagen). Healthcare utilization was assessed in a study sample generated by population screening and recruitment. Data collection occurred over two weeks, from September 23rd until October 4th, 2021. The questions enquired into disease characteristics, management, burden, medication intake and healthcare utilization. Results The number of participants included in the HINDER panel was 4,431, with 2,990 (67.5%: 2,522 [84.3%] female, 468 [15.7%] male; mean age 40.9 ± 11.6 years) completing the survey. One quarter of participants (27.7%) disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were able to manage their headache attacks. Most participants (81.7%) agreed or strongly agreed that their headache was a burden in their everyday lives. The most reported acute medications, by 87.2% of participants, were simple analgesics; of note, 8.6% reported using opioids for their headache. One quarter of participants (24.4%) had never consulted a medical doctor for their headache; one in six (16.5%: more than two thirds of the 24.4%) had never done so despite agreeing or strongly agreeing that their headache was a burden in their everyday lives. Two thirds (65.3%) of participants overall, and almost three quarters (72.4%) of those with weekly headache, had tried one or more complementary or alternative therapies outside conventional medical care. Conclusions Our findings are indicative of inadequate delivery of headache care in a country that provides free and universal coverage for all its residents. The implications are twofold. First, it is not sufficient merely to make services available: public education and increased awareness are necessary to encourage uptake by those who would benefit. Second, educational interventions in both pre- and postgraduate settings are necessary, but a prerequisite for these is a resetting of policy priorities, properly to reflect the very high population ill-health burden of headache.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-023-01553-wHeadache disordersDisease burdenHealthcare utilizationBarriers to carePopulation surveyDenmark |
| spellingShingle | Thien Phu Do Mikala Dømgaard Simon Stefansen Timothy J. Steiner Messoud Ashina Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel The Journal of Headache and Pain Headache disorders Disease burden Healthcare utilization Barriers to care Population survey Denmark |
| title | Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel |
| title_full | Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel |
| title_short | Characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a Danish population with headache: results from the nationwide headache in Denmark (HINDER) panel |
| title_sort | characterizing healthcare utilization patterns in a danish population with headache results from the nationwide headache in denmark hinder panel |
| topic | Headache disorders Disease burden Healthcare utilization Barriers to care Population survey Denmark |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-023-01553-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thienphudo characterizinghealthcareutilizationpatternsinadanishpopulationwithheadacheresultsfromthenationwideheadacheindenmarkhinderpanel AT mikaladømgaard characterizinghealthcareutilizationpatternsinadanishpopulationwithheadacheresultsfromthenationwideheadacheindenmarkhinderpanel AT simonstefansen characterizinghealthcareutilizationpatternsinadanishpopulationwithheadacheresultsfromthenationwideheadacheindenmarkhinderpanel AT timothyjsteiner characterizinghealthcareutilizationpatternsinadanishpopulationwithheadacheresultsfromthenationwideheadacheindenmarkhinderpanel AT messoudashina characterizinghealthcareutilizationpatternsinadanishpopulationwithheadacheresultsfromthenationwideheadacheindenmarkhinderpanel |