Diagnostic and therapeutic gap: a tool for assessing the care of people with headaches

• Grant number: 12/20246-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Ronaldo Guimarães Fonseca
• Grantee: Juliana Akita
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Headache is one of the most prevalent complaints to medical care. It affects individuals of all ages and both genders and is, according to World Health Organization, among the ten leading causes of disability. Its impact is shown in reduced capacity for work and commitment to social life, as well as direct and indirect financial costs. According to the International Classification of Headache, the diagnosis of primary headache occurs primarily by clinical evaluation (history and physical examination). Thereafter, the treatment can already be started without the need for further investigation. Therefore, it is expected that the time elapsed between the onset of symptoms the diagnosis and treatment, called here gap diagnostic and therapeutic, respectively, is long. However, it has been observed that headaches are significantly under-diagnosed and poorly managed. Still, this latency diagnostic and therapy can be used as a basis for evaluating the quality of medical care. It is intended to analyze the diagnostic and therapeutic gap in headache patients seen in the health service of Botucatu-UNESP, which would add additional information relating to the qualification of care in the region, as well as medical education. This is a pioneering study on the subject in Brazil, held only in the pediatric population in Italy.(AU)