Advocates Applaud House Resolution to Raise Awareness of Migraine Disease and Headache Disorders
Resolution introduced by Rep. Madeleine Dean, Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, recognizes “disproportionate impact of migraine disease and headache disorders on women”
WASHINGTON—Headache and migraine disease advocates are applauding Representative Madeleine Dean (PA-4) for introducing House Resolution 1160, which supports the designation of September 2020 as Pain Awareness Month and recognizes “the disproportionate impact of migraine disease and headache disorders on women.” The Headache and Migraine Policy Forum worked closely with Rep. Dean’s office on the resolution and recently co-sponsored a webinar to help educate the public about the impact of migraine disease and headache disorders.
“H.Res.1160 highlights the migraine and headache disorders that impact nearly 20% of women and occur nearly three times more often among women than men,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean. “It’s important we cancel the stigma that is often coupled with migraine and headache disorders, and recognize the severe symptoms and physical pain that is often dismissed.”
STATEMENT FROM REP. MADELEINE DEAN
“We are grateful to Representative Dean for her leadership to help raise awareness about the disproportionate impact of migraine disease and cluster headache disorders on women. With greater awareness comes the potential for better policies that address stigma, seek a more patient-centered disability evaluation process, improve patient access to treatment and support women in the workforce who live with these diseases.”
STATEMENT FROM LINDSAY VIDENIEKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HMPF
“Migraine disease is three times more common in women, with the highest prevalence occurring during some of the most productive years, between the ages of 25 and 39,” said Katie MacDonald, Executive Director for the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA). “We thank Representative Dean for introducing this important resolution and for her commitment to amplifying migraine and headache disorders and the disproportionate impact this debilitating disease has on women and their quality of life. This resolution helps to give voice to those who live with migraine and headache disorders and provides continued opportunities to educate the public and remove stigma.”
STATEMENT FROM KATIE MACDONALD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AHDA
More about migraine disease and headache disorders:
- 36,000,000 Americans live with migraine disease
- 6,000,000 experience chronic migraine
- Persons living with migraine disease and headache disorders experience significant stigma from the public, employers and even family members
- Headache disorders are the second leading cause of all global disability and the second leading cause of global neurological disease burden
- Cluster headaches, often misdiagnosed, are so excruciating and debilitating that they are known as “suicide headaches”
- Migraine disease is three times more common in women, reaching peak prevalence between 25 and 39 years of age, at a time when many women are advancing in their career and balancing work, family, and social obligations, further contributing to the wage gap
- Women account for a majority of the estimated $78 billion in migraine-associated economic costs in the United States, representing about 80% of both direct medical costs and lost labor costs including presenteeism and absenteeism
The Headache & Migraine Policy Forum is a coalition of nearly two dozen stakeholder organizations who advance public policies and practices that promote access to treatments for persons living with headache disorders and migraine disease.
The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy is comprised of nonprofit organizations that are vitally concerned about the health of patients with headache disorders including migraine disease, cluster headaches, chronic daily headache, new daily persistent headache and tension-type headaches.