Multidisciplinary headache treatment with work-focus in Norway: An observational study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Occupational Health
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Increasing rates of headache-related sick leave in Norway necessitated innovative interventions.
• Establishment of the first Norwegian multidisciplinary headache clinic in collaboration with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the treatment effects of a multidisciplinary approach on headache frequency and sick leave.
• To identify predictors for treatment improvement and successful return-to-work for patients with headache-related sick leave.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary team (neurologists, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, job specialists) treated patients aged 18-67 with headache-related sick leave.
• Data collection included validated questionnaires and semi-structured interviews at baseline and 3, 6, 12 months.
• Statistical analysis employed mixed-effects linear and logistic regression to assess changes in headache days and sick leave.

Main Results:

• Significant reduction in median monthly headache days from 24 to 10 (p < 0.001) and sick leave from 53.5% to 33.7% (p < 0.001) at 12 months.
• Migraine diagnosis and long-term baseline sick leave were negative predictors for return-to-work.
• Female sex and lower baseline headache frequency predicted favorable clinical outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary treatment effectively reduced headache frequency and improved work attendance in patients with headache-related sick leave.
• Findings suggest implications for healthcare policy and resource allocation in managing headache-related disability.