Burden of Migraine in the United States

Abstract

APPROXIMATELY 6% of men and 18% of women in the United States currently suffer from migraine headaches.¹ Despite this high prevalence and the disabling effects of migraine attacks, migraine has not received adequate attention as a public health priority because its impact on society has been underestimated. In the American Migraine Study, a total of 71% of men and 59% of women determined to have migraine from self-reported symptom data had never received a diagnosis from a physician.² While most migraine sufferers reported taking medication for headache, most used over-the-counter preparations. Even among migraine suffers with moderate or severe headache-related disability, less than half were treated with prescription medication.²