Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache?

Tuğba Çalışır

doi:10.38053/acmj.1846490

Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache?

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate post-traumatic stress and anxiety symptom levels in patients with post-earthquake tension-type headache (TTH) and to examine their association with headache severity. Methods: This prospective case-control study included 101 patients with new-onset chronic TTH following the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and 102 healthy controls. Headache severity was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), post-traumatic stress symptoms with the PCL-5, and anxiety levels with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: Female representation was significantly higher in the TTH group compared with controls (77.2% vs. 54.9%, p=0.001). Post-earthquake VAS scores were significantly higher than retrospectively recalled pre-earthquake scores (7.0 vs. 4.0, p=0.001). PCL-5 scores did not differ significantly between groups (p=0.349), and the proportion meeting the ≥31 cutoff for probable PTSD was similar (55.4% [56/101] vs. 57.6% [57/99], p=0.754). In contrast, Severe anxiety was more frequent in patients with TTH than in controls (17.8% vs. 7.8%, p=0.017). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, elementary education (OR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.61–11.16, p=0.004), In multivariable logistic regression analysis, elementary education (OR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.61-11.16, p=0.004) and residence in the central study region were independently associated with the outcome. (OR: 2.76, 95% CI: 1.45-5.26, p=0.002), severe anxiety (OR: 5.24, 95% CI: 1.64-16.73, p=0.005), and younger age (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98, p=0.003) were independently associated with higher odds of belonging to the post-earthquake TTH group. Conclusion: This study revealed a differential pattern of psychiatric symptom burden in post-earthquake TTH: while PTSD symptoms were similarly elevated in both patients and controls exposed to the same earthquake, anxiety-particularly severe anxiety-showed a specific association with TTH status and headache intensity. These findings suggest that post-earthquake TTH may benefit from multidisciplinary biopsychosocial care multidisciplinary biopsychosocial care with particular attention to anxiety management.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Mustafa Kemal University (Approval Number: 41, Date: 17/12/2025).

Thanks

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Faculty of Medicine of Mustafa Kemal University for permitting the conduct of this study.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Pain

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Tuğba Çalışır ^*
0000-0001-8337-6991
Türkiye

Publication Date

March 10, 2026

Submission Date

December 22, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 23, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 8 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1846490

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA35JK36RM

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Çalışır, T. (2026). Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache? Anatolian Current Medical Journal, 8(2), 331-337. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1846490

AMA

1.Çalışır T. Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache? Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2026;8(2):331-337. doi:10.38053/acmj.1846490

Chicago

Çalışır, Tuğba. 2026. “Is the Psychiatric Symptom Burden Higher in Individuals With Post-Earthquake Tension-Type Headache?”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 8 (2): 331-37. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1846490.

EndNote

Çalışır T (March 1, 2026) Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache? Anatolian Current Medical Journal 8 2 331–337.

IEEE

[1]T. Çalışır, “Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache?”, Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 331–337, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.38053/acmj.1846490.

ISNAD

Çalışır, Tuğba. “Is the Psychiatric Symptom Burden Higher in Individuals With Post-Earthquake Tension-Type Headache?”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 8/2 (March 1, 2026): 331-337. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1846490.

JAMA

1.Çalışır T. Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache? Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2026;8:331–337.

MLA

Çalışır, Tuğba. “Is the Psychiatric Symptom Burden Higher in Individuals With Post-Earthquake Tension-Type Headache?”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, Mar. 2026, pp. 331-7, doi:10.38053/acmj.1846490.

Vancouver

1.Tuğba Çalışır. Is the psychiatric symptom burden higher in individuals with post-earthquake tension-type headache? Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2026 Mar. 1;8(2):331-7. doi:10.38053/acmj.1846490