Abstract
Objective: To find the association of tension type
headache with depression in university students and its
impact on their academic performance.
Methodology: This correlational study was conducted
from January to June 2018 at Riphah International
University, Shifa Tameer-e-Milat University, Islamic
International Medical and Dental College and National
University of Science and Technology, Islamabad.A
total of 805 medical, engineering and social sciences
students participated through non-probability
convenience sampling technique with age 17-24 years.
We used Headache impact Test version 6 (HIT-6) for
tension type headache and depression, anxiety, stress
scale (DASS). Chi square was used to determine
association between DASS and HIT-6.
Results: Out of 805 students, 330 (41%) were males
and 475 (59%) females. Mean age was 21.3 ± 1.2
years. 254 (32%) students had headache due to loud
noise, 243 (30%) had anxiety, 131 (16%) had
headache due to exam stress, 153 (19%) due to
projectors light in classes and 24 (3%) reported
associated symptoms due to menstrual cycle.
Association of academic performance with HIT-6 was
negative, (r-1.28; p < 0.05), whereas r values for
depression, anxiety and stress with headache were
positively correlated r = 0.61, r = 0.35, r = 0.47 (p <
0.05).Comparison between genders showed nonsignificant (p > 0.05) results of HIT-6 and DASS.
Conclusion: Tension type headache was frequent and
influenced the academic performance of students and
they were prone to depression, anxiety and stress.
Many students avoid social gathering and
extracurricular activities due to headache.
Keywords: Tension type headache, depression, stress,
anxiety, students, academic performance.
