Migraine: epidemiology and systems of care

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder impacting over 1 billion people globally. Its prevalence leads to significant disability and negative effects on individuals and their families. Employers and society also bear this burden. To alleviate the global impact, efforts must focus on improving migraine care. This care should be backed by informed health-care policies. In this paper, we summarize migraine epidemiology and its economic burden. We highlight ongoing challenges to providing adequate care worldwide. Integrated and coordinated systems of care can improve treatment. Primary and specialist care must work together and support each other. Comprehensive referral and linkage protocols enable continuity of care. Additionally, low and middle-income countries face unique challenges. These include poor public health education and limited access to medications. Insufficient training for health-care professionals results in misdiagnosis and resource waste. Addressing these issues is crucial for effective migraine management and care improvement. Clinical relevance: This research emphasizes the need for improved migraine care systems and policies.