Reducing the Frequency and Severity of Migraine Headaches in the Workplace

Abstract

The impact of migraine headaches on worker productivity and quality of life is significant. A medical center employee health department implemented an evidence-based, multicomponent intervention to manage migraine headaches for a population of more than 3,500 employees. The intervention consisted of education to identify and avoid headache triggers, coaching on dietary and lifestyle changes, and prescriptions for medications to prevent and treat headaches. This article presents preliminary data on the feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention. The frequency and severity of headaches were measured at baseline and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline using the Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire. At 12 months, 28 participants who completed testing reported that the frequency of headaches had decreased by 76.1%, severity by 31.3%, and perception of disability by 66.5%. This pilot study used a convenience sample and no control group. However, results are promising and recommendations are made for future studies.