Migraines leading cause of disability worldwide
Migraines and headaches remain among the most common and disabling disorders worldwide, affecting over a third of the global population and requiring much greater recognition in public health policies.
The study, led by neurology experts from La Trobe University and Western Health and published in Cell Reports Medicine, analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study, covering 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2021, CE Report quotes ATA.
It found that 2.8 billion people worldwide live with headache disorders, making them a leading cause of years lived with disability (YLD). According to the study, modern lifestyle factors such as stress, sedentary behavior, alcohol and caffeine consumption, and poor-quality sleep continue to drive the prevalence of headaches.
The COVID-19 pandemic also brought new challenges, with patients reporting acute or chronic headaches following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination.
“These new headache issues, combined with increased psychological stress, disrupted access to healthcare, and social factors, may have further complicated an already urgent public health issue,” the report states.
The study shows that women aged 30–44 and people living in higher-income countries are disproportionately affected. While migraines occur less frequently than tension-type headaches, they are significantly more disabling, the researchers note.
Lead author Professor Tissa Wijeratne stated that despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the global prevalence of headache disorders is unlikely to decline due to ongoing risk factors and limited access to professional care.
“Limited use of professional healthcare and over-reliance on over-the-counter treatments continue to impede progress,” Wijeratne said, calling for tailored interventions and increased funding for healthcare.
