Relationship between Air Mass Type and Emergency Department Visits for Migraine Headache across the Triangle Region of North Carolina

Author

Christopher James Elcik

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Fuhrmann, Christopher M.

Committee Member

Mercer, Andrew E.

Committee Member

Davis, Robert E.

Date of Degree

8-12-2016

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

An estimated 240 million people worldwide suffer from migraines. Migraines have disruptive capabilities, therefore, understanding the mechanisms that trigger them is crucial for effective prevention and treatment. Air mass types and migraine induced emergency department (ED) visits in select North Carolina counties were collected over a seven year period in order to determine a potential relationship. Barometric pressure changes associated with Transitional air masses were also analyzed for potential trends. Bootstrapping showed that Tropical air masses resulted in greater numbers of migraine ED patients, while Polar air masses led to fewer. Moist Polar air masses in particular were found to correspond with the fewest number of migraine ED patients. On Transitional air mass days, the numbers of migraine ED patients fell between those of Tropical air mass days and Polar air mass days. With regards to barometric pressure changes associated with Transitional air masses, no trends were found.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20726

Comments

weather||meteorology

Recommended Citation

Elcik, Christopher James, "Relationship between Air Mass Type and Emergency Department Visits for Migraine Headache across the Triangle Region of North Carolina" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 3764.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/3764