Prevalence and impact of headaches in workers of a palm plantation in Cameroon

Background Headaches are a worldwide health issue that impact almost all social strata, with a particular effect on the working population, leading to substantial financial cost to society. However, despite their significant socio-professional impact, data on this topic remain scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. The present study aims to assess the prevalence and impact of headaches among workers. Methods From November 2023 to June 2024, we conducted a cross-sectional analytical study of workers at the Société Camerounaise de Palmeraie (SOCAPALM), Dibombari plantation I Cameroon. Data were collected using the HARDSHIP (i.e. Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability and Impaired Participation) questionnaire, with headache impact measured by the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) and Headache-Attributed Lost Time (HALT-90) scores, and quality of life evaluated by the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL-8) score. Qualitative variables were compared using chi-squared or Fisher's exact test, and quantitative variables were compared with analysis of variance. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results In total, 732 workers participated, 77% were male and they were aged 35.43 ± 9.15 years (mean ± SD). The 12-month prevalence of headache was 80.4%, with primary headaches being the most common (73%), including 21.7% with tension-type headache (TTH) and 16.9% with migraine. Over the last three months, there were 279 days of absenteeism due to headaches (0.47 ± 0.95 days), with migraine accounting for 48.0% of these days (1.08 ± 1.24 days). Impact scores (HIT-6 and HALT-90) showed that patients with migraine experienced the most significant effects (53.1% and 34.7%, respectively) and a poorer quality of life (odds ratio = 12.63; 95% confidence interval = 7.33–21.75; p < 0.001) compared to general headache and TTH sufferers. Female sex was associated with higher rates of headaches (odds ratio = 1.78; 95% confidence interval = 1.05–3.02; p < 0.001). Conclusions Headaches affect three-quarters of workers and has a significant socio-professional impact, including a higher rate of absenteeism among those affected. Migraine is the most disabling type of headache among workers.