Migraine: A Multi-Billion Dollar Corporate Headache
The scope of the problem that migraine headache presents to the business community
is almost incomprehesible. By one measure, it costs the economy upwards of 13 billion dollars a year in time
away from work and decreased on-the-job worker productivity. In terms of 'bottom line' impact, more than
30 million people suffer from acute migraine headaches. It is a much more prevalent disorder than commonly thought
-- one that affects nearly one in five adults and
one out of every four households.
How does this translate into the workplace? More than
50% of all migraine sufferers report that their work performance is impaired, either through absenteeism or decreased
productivity while trying to 'work through' their migraines.
Not surprisingly, the costs of migraine go well beyond lost productivity. Nearly $1 billion
drained from the economy comes in direct costs which drive up health insurance premiums and disability coverage.
Migraine sufferers have significantly higher healthcare utilization than the general population.
Still, the major impact of migraine stems from indirect costs. Sixty percent result from missed workdays.
The other forty percent coming from trying to 'power through' their migraine, often with disastrous results for both the worker and
the work produced.
As many as 25% of workers with migraine lose a week or more of work annually.
The losses due to decreased productivity from headache are even more staggering: 56 million lost workday equivalents
plus 5.5 billion dollars in lost productivity reflect the horrendous 'migraine drain' on the corporate workplace!
Now consider the real financial impact on any company when a key producer is sidelined
with a paralyzing, debilitating migraine and forced to miss a major presentation. That eventuality alone is reason enough for
corporate management to determine how much their employees' migraines cost their company and calculate the benefits
of effective treatment.
A 5-step "Productivity Impact Model", as utilized by Robert Cowan, M.D. Medical Director of the
Keeler Migraine Center at Ojai Valley Community Hospital, is an effective way to 'pencil out' the amount of time and money lost due to
migraine in any given workplace.
Step 1 estimates the prevalence of migraine in your company based on its size, type of industry, geographic location
and your employee age/gender breakdown.
Step 2 uses an estimate of 8 days per year lost due to migraine and total compensation for employees
in your company (wages and benefits) to graphically present an annualized estimate of lost workday equivalents due to migraine.
Step 3 divides the employee workforce into diagnosed (48%) and undiagnosed (52%) groups prior to
performing any calculations -- then examines the treatment on 85% of the diagnosed group and 65% of the undiagnosed group.
Step 4 displays separate costs for those who are already taking and benefiting from triptans (10%) and
those who are not on triptans but will benefit from taking them. The totals from these groups are used to present a net
benefit figure for triptan treatment.
Step 5 presents the cumulative treatment benefits for a 3-year time frame.
Efficient migraine management has become quite sophisticated. There are very good, very specific treatments
now available 0that have minimal side effects. In addition to appropriate medical interventions, these include traditional ways to deal with migraine pain, as well as a variety of natural
and holistic measures. "What matters most," underscores Dr. Cowan, "is providing the most effective, customized treatment for the individual migraine patient."
Robert Cowan, M.D., Medical Director of the non-profit Keeler Migraine Center, is a board-certified neurologist
and internationally recognized headache expert, with more than two decades' experience treating severe migraine sufferers.
