Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic headache (CH) is a widespread problem in clinical practice. The causes of the disease are very complex and varied, including organic, functional and even psychogenic causes. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are related to several psychogenic neurological disorders. However, whether the number of ACEs is associated with the risk of developing CH has not been well established. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify the association between the number of ACEs and the risk of developing CH in the general population using a Chinese national survey. METHODS: Participants who reported experiencing headache in two consecutive waves of investigation from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were defined as having CH and were included in this study. The life history information of the participants was then matched. Twelve types of ACEs were identified from the life history information. The participants were divided into four classes according to the number of ACEs. The association between the number of ACEs and the risk of developing CH was analysed using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 654 (14.77%) of 4427 participants were defined as CH within 9 years of the survey. After adjusting for various confounding factors, compared to that associated with Class 1 (ACEs = 0), the OR for CH associated with Class 3 (ACEs = 2) was 1.68 (95% CI: 1.30-2.19), P < 0.001 and the OR for CH associated with Class 4 (ACEs > 2) was 2.62 (95% CI:2.04-3.38),P < 0.001. Further analysis of different types of ACEs demonstrated that physical abuse, household mental illness and five other types of ACEs were associated with the risk of developing CH. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to ACEs was associated with a greater risk of developing CH, indicating the importance of early intervention for individuals with ACEs to mitigate the detrimental impact of ACEs on CH and to promote health.