The influence of selected factors on the quality of life of children with headaches.

PURPOSE Headaches are one of frequent complaints diagnosed in children and adolescents. Due to their recurring character, they influence the bio-psycho-social functioning of the children. The aim of the study was to learn about the factors influencing the quality of life of children with headaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research was conducted on 140 children with headaches, ages 8 to 18, treated at the Chair and Department of Developmental Neurology, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań. The research tool was the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - PedsQL questionnaire. RESULTS In the studied group 85 (60.7%) children had tension headaches, 25 (17.8%) had migraine with aura and 30 (21.5%) had migraine without aura. Analyzing the particular domains of the quality of life from the PedsQL questionnaire, significant differences were noticed in the evaluation of the domain "physical functioning", depending on gender, age and the duration of pain, and in the domain "emotional functioning" depending on gender. The duration of pain additionally influenced the evaluation of their social functioning by the patients. CONCLUSIONS The difference in the evaluation of the quality of life depended on the gender and the age of the children, the duration of headaches and the severity of pain. The indicated factors influenced different domains of the quality of life of the adolescents participating in the study.