Migraines, headaches pose global public health challenge, study warns

ISTANBUL

Migraines and headaches remain among the world’s most common and disabling disorders, affecting over one-third of the global population and requiring far greater recognition in public health policy, according to an international study.

The research, led by neurology experts from La Trobe University and Western Health and published in Cell Reports Medicine, analyzed data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD) covering 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2021.

It found that 2.8 billion people worldwide live with headache disorders, making them a leading cause of years lived with disability (YLDs).

According to the study, modern lifestyles marked by stress, sedentary behavior, alcohol and caffeine consumption, and poor-quality sleep continue to drive headache prevalence.

The COVID-19 pandemic also introduced 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 health care access and social factors, may have further complicated an already pressing public health issue,” the report said.

The study found 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 noted.

Lead author Professor Tissa Wijeratne said that despite advances in diagnostics and treatment, the global prevalence of headache disorders is unlikely to decline due to persistent risk factors and limited access to professional care.

“The limited use of professional health care and overreliance on over-the-counter treatments continue to impede progress,” Wijeratne said, calling for tailored interventions and more health care funding.

“This study emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize headache disorders in global health agendas,” the report concluded.