AHS 2022 | Social stigma in the migraine population

Elizabeth Seng, PhD, FAHS, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, discusses the role of stigma in migraine-related disability and quality of life. There has been a significant amount of work on the individual factors affecting how disabling migraine is – however, there has been great neglect of the role of social influence on headache development and disability. As migraine is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, great attention is needed to address all aspects of potential causes; it affects individuals of all ages, being detrimental to the quality of life if left untreated. Dr Seng continues to discuss how stigma can adversely impact individuals suffering from migraines; individuals may be perceived as being unreliable and unfit to work – enforcing the idea of stigma damaging those afflicted by migraines. A study demonstrated that stigma accounted for variation above and beyond the symptoms – paving the way for a model describing the central role of stigma in migraines. This interview took place during the 2022 American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Denver, CO.