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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Work impact of migraine headaches
Walter F Stewart1, G Craig Wood, Hanieh Razzaghi
1Geisinger Clinic, Center for Health Research, MC 44-00,100 N. Academy Ave, Danville, PA 17822, USA. wfstewart@geisinger.edu
Migraine headaches significantly impact work productivity, causing substantial Lost Productive Time (LPT). Frequent and severe headaches disproportionately contribute to this overall work impact among migraineurs.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder associated with significant disability.
- Headache, particularly migraine, can lead to substantial work-related productivity losses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the impact of headache on work productivity in individuals with migraine.
- To estimate the extent of Lost Productive Time (LPT) attributable to migraine headaches.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a large, U.S. nationwide mailed questionnaire (n=193,477) from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention study.
- Defined Lost Productive Time (LPT) as missed work hours plus reduced productivity from presenteeism.
- Self-reported data on the cause of LPT was collected.
Main Results:
- Headache-related LPT averaged 1.8 hours per week, compared to 2.8 hours for all health-related causes.
- Reduced performance (presenteeism) accounted for 76.5% of headache-related LPT.
- A small proportion of migraineurs (29%) experiencing frequent headaches (11+ days/month) accounted for 49% of overall LPT; those with severe pain (9-10/10) accounted for 33%.
Conclusions:
- Frequent and severe headaches are disproportionately responsible for the total headache-related Lost Productive Time.
- Targeting interventions for individuals with high-frequency, high-severity migraines may significantly reduce overall productivity losses.
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