Abstract
Background
Academic work as well as compensated employment has been found adversely associated with frequent headache; headache remains
a costly disorder to the person and to society. However, little is known of factors—other than prior headache complaints—that
may predict headache frequency over extended periods of time. Based on previous research, effortful task engagement appears
to be a contributing factor to headache onset. This suggests that relatively stable attributes that are likely to affect effort
expenditure may predict headache frequency over long intervals.
a costly disorder to the person and to society. However, little is known of factors—other than prior headache complaints—that
may predict headache frequency over extended periods of time. Based on previous research, effortful task engagement appears
to be a contributing factor to headache onset. This suggests that relatively stable attributes that are likely to affect effort
expenditure may predict headache frequency over long intervals.
Methods
Five hundred undergraduate students enrolled in a large public, urban university completed a number of questionnaires. Official
admissions records of the college aptitude tests ACT (an acronym for the original test name, the American College Testing),
SAT (the Scholastic Aptitude Test), and GPA (grade point average) were obtained and compared to the report of headache frequency.
admissions records of the college aptitude tests ACT (an acronym for the original test name, the American College Testing),
SAT (the Scholastic Aptitude Test), and GPA (grade point average) were obtained and compared to the report of headache frequency.
Conclusion
While nearly all research on headache and work effectiveness has considered headache to be a cause of reduced efficiency or
productivity, this study suggests that a factor which presumably affects the ease of work completion (e.g., scholastic aptitude)
may predict headache, at least in some cases within the “work” environment of academia.
productivity, this study suggests that a factor which presumably affects the ease of work completion (e.g., scholastic aptitude)
may predict headache, at least in some cases within the “work” environment of academia.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s12529-010-9137-2
- Authors
- Christine A. Hovanitz, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
- Dawn Lindsay Thatcher, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
- Journal International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
- Online ISSN 1532-7558
- Print ISSN 1070-5503