Disability, ICF biopsychosocial model and burden of migraine

Excerpt

When defining the burden of migraine it is important to consider patients’ disability and clinical and public health perspectives. Migraine sufferers often have severe under recognized and underdiagnosed health burden and reductions in social activities and work capacity. Health professionals focus on diagnosis as a key element to effective treatments, however the majority of clinicians still tend to perceive migraine, and headache disorders in general, as minor complaints. Ten years ago a possible way to increase awareness and diminish the burden was described[1]. However epidemiological data of headache disorders, despite the international Lifting the Burden Campaign, is still scarce in many parts of the world and inconsistent because of the sampling frames and of how prevalence rates are defined and the physical, emotional, social and economic burdens of headaches are still poorly acknowledged. …