\n<\/p>\n
Migraine is a\u00a0significant\u00a0health issue\u00a0that disproportionately affects women.\u00a0Around\u00a010\u00a0million\u00a0people in the\u00a0UK live with\u00a0migraine\u00a0and\u00a0women are\u00a0two to three times more likely\u00a0to experience\u00a0migraine than\u00a0men.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Migraine\u00a0in\u00a0women\u00a0often worsens around menstruation, and\u00a0has strong links to\u00a0contraceptive choices, pregnancy, post-partum,\u00a0and\u00a0menopause.\u00a0It is therefore no\u00a0surprise that the\u00a0lifetime\u00a0prevalence\u00a0of migraine is\u00a0reported as 33% in women and 13% in men\u00a0\u2013\u00a0before\u00a0puberty, migraine frequency is the same in both sexes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Despite its prevalence and\u00a0debilitating\u00a0impact, it\u00a0was\u00a0absent from the renewed Women\u2019s Health Strategy published earlier this week.\u00a0While we welcome the government\u2019s revival of a dedicated\u00a0plan to tackle gender inequity in the health system,\u00a0<\/span>this is a significant missed opportunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is especially disappointing given that migraine sits squarely within the strategy\u2019s four priorities.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First,\u00a0migraine\u00a0is\u00a0a condition that affects women disproportionately and often differently across the female life course. Second, it is a clear example of women\u2019s pain being minimised or dismissed, with many women reporting that\u00a0their\u00a0migraine is not taken seriously,\u00a0dismissed as\u00a0\u201cjust hormones\u201d or \u201ceveryday\u00a0stress.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Third, it is highly suited to the strategy\u2019s proposed shift toward earlier intervention and stronger community-based pathways\u00a0\u2013 better\u00a0diagnosis\u00a0and\u00a0treatment in primary\u00a0care would prevent the condition worsening and the need for repeated appointments within secondary care.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, migraine has a substantial impact on work, caring\u00a0responsibilities,\u00a0and quality of life, making it highly relevant to the strategy\u2019s wider goals on participation, productivity and reducing the toll of long-term conditions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Treating migraine as a priority implementation case would be a practical and credible way for government and the NHS to show that the strategy will deliver for women with common, painful, disabling but often overlooked conditions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Migraine Trust therefore urges the government to act now to improve the migraine experience for millions of women by applying the strategy\u2019s existing commitments to migraine care. The government can do this through:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Government and NHS England should explicitly recognise migraine as a condition that falls within the strategy\u2019s commitment to improve care for conditions that affect women disproportionately or differently.<\/p>\n Integrated Care Boards should be\u00a0tasked\u00a0to improve migraine pathways in primary and community care, with particular attention to menstrual migraine, medication overuse, prevention, and links to reproductive health.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Implementation of the strategy\u2019s commitments on listening to women and acting on repeated presentation should include migraine, so that women\u00a0do not have to fight for a proper\u00a0diagnosis\u00a0or an effective care plan\u00a0or review.<\/span><\/p>\n Migraine should be included in relevant women\u2019s health improvement metrics, including patient experience, access to\u00a0appropriate treatment, and avoidable urgent or emergency care use.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Formal recognition<\/h3>\n
2. Better community pathways<\/h3>\n
3. Taking women\u2019s migraine pain seriously<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Stronger data and accountability<\/h3>\n
5. Research across the female life course<\/h3>\n