健康英语新闻:Headache disorders prevalent but ignored: WHO

GENEVA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Roughly half to three quarters of adults aged between 18 to 65 years have had headache in the last year, a prevalent problem that went under-treated, the Geneva based World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report issued Tuesday.

The report, named "Of Headache Disorders and Resources in the World 2011," regarded headache disorders as one of the most prevalent disorders of mankind.

WHO estimated over 10 percent of the adult population suffered from migraine, and 1.7 to 4 percent of them were troubled frequently by headache on 15 or more days every month.

Among all cases studied, the report said, on average only 10 percent were treated by neurologists, and the rates were even lower in Africa and South-East Asia.

Three types of headache disorders were underlined as the most frequently seen, including migraine, tension-type headache and that caused by medication-overuse.

The report concluded that given the very high indirect costs of headache, investment in health care related to headache treatment might be overall cost-saving to society.