The effect of everyday headache pain on task performance v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of everyday headache pain on task performance in a community sample
IRAS ID
133019
Contact name
Christopher Eccleston
Contact email
Research summary
Does everyday headache pain affect attentional processes in a community sample?
We know that naturally occurring pain (everyday tension-type headache and menstrual pain) reduces the speed and accuracy of attentional processes in certain populations. Given the lifetime prevalence of everyday headache pain, ranging from 30-78% of the general population (International Headache Society, 2003), it is important to study more about whether it has negative effects on attentional processes in broader populations. This research is part of a journey mapping the effects of pain on cognition, with the longer term aim of studying the repair of disrupted functioning.
People who are identified by their GP as everyday headache suffers, or who self-identify in response to community and pharmacist recruitment, may be screened. At screening, we will exclude people who currently suffer a medical condition causing significant problems with fatigue, dexterity, vision or cognition. We will include adults with everyday headache, over 18 years, able to give informed consent.
We will test participants twice, when in pain and when pain-free, on paper and computer based non-invasive tasks, to measure the effects of pain on performance. We will conduct brief interviews regarding people’s experiences of pain and of study participation. Each testing session should last about one hour. Participants can choose the testing site from: the University of Bath’s pain laboratory, GP surgeries, an independent charity’s research space, or people’s homes or workplaces, if they can provide a confidential, quiet space.
As we have to wait for participants to experience a naturally occurring headache for one testing session, we cannot state precisely for how long someone will be in the study, but this should not be more than a few months.
We will analyse data to see whether naturally occurring headache pain disrupts attentional processes to improve current knowledge in this area.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1186
Date of REC Opinion
4 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion