AHS 2022 | The role of stigma in migraine-related disability and quality of life

Elizabeth Seng, PhD, FAHS, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, discusses the significance of stigma in migraine-related disability and quality of life. With stigma being a scientific construct, it is important to assess whether it contributes beyond our current understanding of migraines. In this instance, Dr Seng emphasizes how stigma helps us understand migraine-related disability and quality of life differently. Concerning the development of targets for improving the quality of life in individuals with migraine, current therapeutics and behavioral interventions which reduce headache frequency, depression, and anxiety may help address stigma to a mild degree. However, stigma is a unique treatment target – providing the research community with a range of more socially orientated interventions to consider when helping individuals with migraine. This interview took place during the 2022 American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Denver, CO.