A comparison of headache and non-headache sufferers on measures of social support and mental health problems

138 headaches sufferers and 138 subjects without headaches were studied to investigate if there were differences between headache and non-headache sufferers in terms of their mental health and social support levels. The overall results of this study indicated that headache sufferers, as compared with non-headache sufferers had slightly more mental health problems, and more social support from their family members. When the results were scrutinised in more detail, it was observed that headache sufferers reported that they felt less capable of making decisions about things, were not always able to face up to their problems, and sometimes thought about themselves as a worthless. Given that the study was based on a community, rather than clinic sample, further research would be required to examine the differing the types of headaches that people are suffering from, and the intensity of the headaches, in relation to mental health problems.