Atlas of Migraine and Headaches in the World

World map of headache prevalence

In 2011, the World Health Organization and the global headache campaign "Lifting the Burden" published an atlas on the prevalence of headache disorders and available resources for their care. The main messages of this key WHO publication on headache describe the current state of care and the necessary steps for modernizing and improving the diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders:

1. Headache disorders are widespread and severely debilitating worldwide. Despite this, they are not adequately recognized in healthcare systems, are incompletely diagnosed, and are treated inadequately
2. Only a minority of people suffering from headache disorders receive a professionally adequate diagnosis and targeted treatment;
3. Treatment guidelines are routinely used in only 55% of countries. In countries with lower average incomes, they are used even less frequently
4. Although there is a wide range of medicines that can be used effectively against headaches, adequate medicines for treatment are not available regardless of per capita income, creating a barrier to modern treatment;
5. Worldwide, only four hours are dedicated to the training of medical students for headache disorders; this lack of training is considered a key problem for the later adequate care of headache disorders;
6. Although headache disorders can be diagnosed and alleviated with modern methods, the underutilization of resources places a heavy burden on individual headache sufferers, as well as a burden on society. This situation persists pointlessly despite the availability of treatment options
7. The financial impact on the individual affected, as well as on society due to reduced productivity, is exceptionally high
8. Suggestions for an improved healthcare landscape include: Better professional training and further education is the most important measure to improve the care of headache disorders;
9. One third of countries worldwide recommend improved organization and coordination of the headache care landscape;
10. Given the very high indirect costs of headache disorders, greater economic investment in headache healthcare is needed. This measure will also be effective in saving costs.