A new regional study published in BMC Public Health has revealed that nearly one in five Moroccan university students, about 18.4 percent, suffer from migraines, a condition described as a “common and disabling neurological disorder” that causes pulsating headaches lasting between four and seventy-two hours, often accompanied by nausea, fatigue, and sensitivity to light, sound, or smell.
The study, surveyed students in 11 low- and middle-income countries across the Middle East and North Africa.
It found the highest migraine prevalence among Iraqi students at 38.9 percent and Algerians at 31.5 percent, while Egypt and Morocco reported the lowest rates.
According to the research team of sixteen scientists, migraines are triggered by factors such as stress, specific foods, caffeine, dehydration, sleep irregularities, smoking, and sudden exposure to light or strong odors.
The condition also has genetic and environmental dimensions, and its global prevalence has grown in recent decades, now affecting more than 15 percent of the world’s population.
The report emphasized that university students face particular vulnerability due to academic pressure, heavy coursework, and exam stress, factors that increase the frequency of migraine episodes and impair learning and productivity.
Studies cited by the authors link migraines to absenteeism, concentration problems, and a decline in academic achievement.
The researchers noted that despite rising rates, regional data on migraine prevalence remain limited.
They urged health authorities and universities to adopt early screening programs, promote awareness of migraine-related comorbidities, and offer counseling or lifestyle interventions to students. Strengthening on-campus health support, they concluded, would help mitigate a growing but often overlooked neurological burden in the region.
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