Is General Headache Associated with Depression?

Headache is a common presentation in emergency and ambulatory medicine. An association between migraine and depression has been well documented, but whether an association exists between general headache and depression is less clear. Researchers reviewed prospectively collected data from 712 patients newly referred to five headache specialty centers in Canada to identify demographic and clinical features associated with depression. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) — a previously validated, self-administered, 21-item questionnaire — was used to assess manifestations of depression. Patients across all headache diagnostic categories with moderate or severe depression were enrolled in the study.

Overall, 189 patients (27%) referred to a subsp…