Pain Ther. 2026 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s40122-026-00857-4. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The burden of migraine on an individual’s life is associated with an individual’s background. However, limited evidence in Japan exists on the association of age, sex, employment, income, and family caregiving with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and migraine treatment patterns. This analysis of the ObserVational survey of the Epidemiology, tReatment, and Care Of MigrainE (OVERCOME [Japan]) 2nd study describes the migraine burden and treatment usage of individuals with migraine across these demographic subgroups.
METHODS: Participants self-reported demographic and clinical characteristics, and PRO instrument responses, such as Headache Impact Test-6, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1, Migraine Interictal Burden Scale-4 (MIBS-4), and Impact of Migraine on Partners and Adolescent Children Scale. They also reported use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs for migraine, and headache-related expenses. Descriptive statistics were reported according to sex, employment status, menstrual-related migraine status and frequency, annual personal and family income, age, and family caregiving status for the elderly.
RESULTS: Female sex, unemployment, presence of menstrual-related migraine, low personal or family income, and family caregiving for elders appeared to increase migraine burden and impact prescription drug use. Specifically, men tended to have higher triptan (11.7% vs. 8.7%) and preventive medication use (18.3% vs. 11.2%) than women; unemployed women had the highest proportion of MIDAS grade IV (14.1%); women with menstrual-related migraine appeared to have greater MIBS-4 severe burden (36.3% vs. 27.8%) than those without; and family caregivers tended to have higher MIBS-4 severe burden (39.2% vs. 26.0%) and prescription drug use than non-caregivers. Respondent sex further appeared to influence migraine burden and treatment patterns within the employment and income subgroups.
CONCLUSION: These data suggest certain sociodemographic groups may suffer from greater migraine burden and have reduced access to effective treatment and care. We hope this study’s results will help healthcare providers and societies identify such populations with migraine and address potential clinical care gaps.
PMID:42446809 | DOI:10.1007/s40122-026-00857-4
