Who is Most Affected?

Migraine and other headache disorders affect people of all ages, backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses. However, some communities face greater challenges in accessing care, receiving a timely diagnosis, and affording treatment.

Women & Gender Disparities

Equity

#1 Leading Cause of Days Lived with Disability for Women Under 50

Migraine disproportionately affects women, who are affected at a rate of 3 to 4 times greater than men *1 #Rossi .
Hormonal fluctuations during puberty, menses, pregnancy, postpartum including during lactation, and menopause can worsen migraine, yet research on the safety and efficacy of migraine treatments throughout women’s life-stages remains underfunded
Women’s pain is often dismissed, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

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Veterans & Active-Duty Military

Military

A Service-Related Health Crisis

36% of veterans reported experiencing migraine attacks, compared to 12% of the general population (Gasperi M, Schuster NM, Franklin B, Nievergelt CM, Stein MB, Afari N. Migraine Prevalence, Environmental Risk, and Comorbidities in Men and Women Veterans. *1
Military veterans are significantly more likely to experience head pain (post traumatic headache or migraine) due to blast exposure, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and PTSD (source: Department of Veterans Affairs).
Post-traumatic headache affects up to 90% of individuals with mild TBIs, making it one of the most common long-term consequences of military service (source: Walker 2023).

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Men

The Invisible Pain Men Hide

Men are less likely to seek treatment for headache attacks, which can lead to worsening symptoms and prognosis. (Stewart WF, Celentano DD, Linet MS. Disability, physician consultation, and use of prescription medications in a population-based study of headache. Biomed Pharmacother. 1989;43(10):711-718. doi:10.1016/0753-3322(89)90159-5)
Men who seek medical care for migraine symptoms are less likely to receive a diagnosis than women (Lipton RB, Serrano D, Holland S, Fanning KM, Reed ML, Buse DC. Barriers to the diagnosis and treatment of migraine: effects of sex, income, and headache features. Headache. 2013;53(1):81-92. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02265.)
Men are 3x more likely to be diagnosed with cluster headache than women. (Fischera M, Marziniak M, Gralow I, Evers S.The incidence and prevalence of cluster headache: a meta-analysis of population-based studies. Cephalalgia. 2008;28(6):614-618. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01592.)

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Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Communities

BIPOC

Systemic Barriers to Diagnosis & Treatment

Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to receive a migraine diagnosis compared with white patients, despite similar prevalence rates (source: JAMA Neurology). African American and Hispanic patients are less likely (25-50%) to receive a migraine diagnosis than White patients. (National Library of Medicine)
BIPOC patients are less likely to be prescribed appropriate headache treatments and are more likely to be dismissed or misdiagnosed (source: American Academy of Neurology). Only 47% of Black patients with headache have been given a headache diagnosis by a healthcare professional compared with 70% of White patients. Latinx individuals with headaches are 50% less likely to receive a migraine diagnosis than White patients. (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)
Native/Indigenous people in America have the highest prevalence of migraine and severe headache in the United States (19.2%) and are more likely to experience allodynia.

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Children & Teens

Youth

A Leading Cause of School Absenteeism

Migraine affects 10% of children and 28% of adolescents, yet it is frequently misdiagnosed as stress or a behavioral problem (source: American Academy of Pediatrics.)
Children with migraine are absent from school twice as often as other students (Source American Academy of Pediatrics)
School accommodations are inconsistent, with many students struggling to receive 504 plans or individualized education programs (IEPs) for headache-related disability.
- Advocacy Win: Thanks to the advocacy efforts of the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy’s Headache on the Hill, the US Department of Education issued formal guidance affirming the eligibility of children with migraine for school accommodations in December 2024.
Pediatric headache specialists are extremely limited, making it difficult for children to access proper care, especially in rural areas.

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First Responders (including 9/11 First Responders)

9/11

On the Frontlines of Chronic Pain

First responders—including firefighters, police officers, and EMTs—experience high levels of stress, sleep disruptions, and exposure to environmental hazards, all of which are known triggers for headache disorders. While direct research on migraine prevalence in first responders is limited, studies show that shift work, irregular sleep, and occupational stress are associated with an increased risk of chronic headaches (PMC, 2023).

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Care Partners

CARE

THE WEIGHT OF WATCHING: WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE IN PAIN

Headache disorders don’t just impact the person living with the disease, but rather also caregivers, partners, family, friends, coworkers, and more.
Almost a third of the adult U.S. population is a caregiver for an ill or disabled relative, the majority are female and many are employed part- or full-time
70% of working caregivers suffer work-related difficulties due to their dual roles. Many caregivers feel they have no choice about taking on caregiving responsibilities (49%). This sense of obligation is even higher in caregivers that provide 21 or more hours of care per week (59%) and live-in caregivers (64%). 60% of caregivers in 2015 were employed at one point while also caregiving. [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.]

Rural Communities

Countryside

Specialist Shortages & Long Travel Times

There is a significant shortage of headache specialists in the U.S., particularly in rural areas, where many patients must travel long distances or rely on primary care clinicians with limited headache-specific training. Studies show that neurologist density varies widely, with fewer specialists available in low-density regions, making access to specialized headache care a challenge for many patients (PMC, 2021).
Telemedicine can help close this gap, but insurance coverage for virtual headache care remains inconsistent.

See full map of specialist and gaps.

LGBTQIA+ Community

Queer

Higher Rates, Greater Stigma

LGBTQIA2S+ individuals report higher rates of migraine and chronic pain disorders compared with the general population. (source: Nagata 2020)
Healthcare discrimination, bias, and fear of mistreatment has been termed sexual minority stress. This causes even more difficulties for LGBTQIA+ patients to seek and receive appropriate medical care. (source:Nagata 2020)
Transgender individuals face additional barriers, as migraine symptoms can be impacted by gender-affirming hormone therapy but research on this intersection remains severely lacking.

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Why This Matters

Access to timely, effective treatment should not depend on where you live, your income, your race, or your gender. The burden of migraine and headache disorders is not distributed equally, and neither is access to care.

We need to address racial and socioeconomic disparities in headache diagnosis and treatment.
We need more headache specialists in underserved areas, including the countryside, tribal healthcare systems, and VA hospitals.
We need more funding for headache research, especially in populations that are disproportionately affected.

This installation is about giving a voice to the millions who have been ignored.

Who is Most Affected?

Why This Matters

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