Burch R, et al. - Researchers here identified up-to-date prevalence estimates of migraine and severe headache in adults from population-based US government surveys. The stability of prevalence estimates over time was also determined. Further information pertinent to the burden and treatment of migraine and other severe headache conditions was assessed in addition. Observations suggested that a severe headache and migraine continued to be important public health problems. These are more common and burdensome for women, particularly women of childbearing age, and other historically disadvantaged segments of the population. If new high-cost treatments are inaccessible to those who need them most, these inequities could be exacerbated.

Methods

• The most current publicly available summary statistics were serached from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS).
• Data from each study was extracted and summarized over time and as a function of demographic variables.

Results

• The US adult population showed a high prevalence and burden of self-reported migraine and severe headache, affecting roughly 1 out of every 6 American and 1 in 5 women over a 3-month period (15.3% overall [95% CI 14.75-15.85], 9.7% of males [95% CI 9.05-10.35] and 20.7% of females [95% CI 19.84-21.56]).
• Over a period of 19 years, the prevalence has been remarkably stable.
• In 2015, American Indian or Alaska Natives showed the highest prevalence of migraine or severe headache (18.4%) compared with whites, blacks, or Hispanics, with the lowest prevalence in Asians (11.3%).
• A higher burden of migraine was noted in those aged 18-44 (17.9%), people who are unemployed (21.4%), those with family income less than $35,000 per year (19.9%), and the elderly and disabled (16.4%).
• The researchers identified that headache is consistently the fourth or fifth most common reason for visits to the Emergency Department, accounting for roughly 3% of all Emergency Department visits annually.
• Headache is the third leading cause of Emergency Department visits in reproductive aged women.