Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on headache management in Spain: an analysis of the current situation and future perspectives

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on healthcare systems. Spain, where headache is the main reason for outpatient neurology consultation, is one of the countries with the most reported cases of the disease.

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on headache units in Spain and to evaluate how neurologists see the future of these units.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of headache units during the sixth week of the state of alarm declared in Spain in response to the pandemic.

Results: The response rate was 74%, with the participation of centres with different characteristics and from all Autonomous Communities of Spain. Limitations in face-to-face activity were reported by 95.8% of centres, with preferential face-to-face consultation being maintained in 60.4%, and urgent procedures in 45.8%. In 91.7% of centres, the cancelled face-to-face activity was replaced by telephone consultation. 95.8% of respondents stated that they would use personal protection equipment in the future, and 86% intended to increase the use of telemedicine. The majority foresaw an increase in waiting lists (93.8% for initial consultations, 89.6% for follow-up, and 89.4% for procedures) and a worse clinical situation for patients, but only 15% believed that their healthcare structures would be negatively affected in the future.

Conclusions: As a consequence of the pandemic, headache care and research activity has reduced considerably. This demonstrates the need for an increase in the availability of telemedicine in our centres in the near future.

Keywords: Asistencia sanitaria; COVID-19; Cefalea; Headache; Healthcare; Pandemia; Pandemic; Telemedicina; Telemedicine.