What do the patients with medication overuse headache expect from treatment and what are the preferred sources of information?
2011
Patients' Expectations and Information Sources for Medication Overuse Headache Treatment
Sample size: 65
Commentary
Evidence: low
Author Information
Author(s): Russell Michael Bjørn
Primary Institution: Akershus University Hospital
Hypothesis
Compliance and satisfaction with treatment increase if the patients have realistic expectations.
Conclusion
Patients with medication overuse headache prefer personal contact for information and have varied expectations regarding treatment outcomes.
Supporting Evidence
- Medication overuse headache has a prevalence of 1.7% in the general population.
- 59% of patients had an expectation of a cure for their headache.
- Patients preferred personal contact for headache information over other sources.
Takeaway
People with headaches want to talk to doctors instead of just reading about it online, and many hope to be cured.
Methodology
Patients filled in a questionnaire exploring their needs for headache information, preferences, and treatment expectations.
Limitations
The study is a pilot and may not represent the broader population.
Participant Demographics
Patients referred to three tertiary headache centers.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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