CUTTING THE COSTS OF MIGRAINE - ROLE OF THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH UNIT

It is estimated that over 120 million Americans suffer from moderate t o severe attacks of migraine characterised by headache and other debil itating symptoms, resulting in impaired functional capacity and dimini shed quality of life. And, it appears, its prevalence is increasing: S ince the prevalence peaks during the ages of 25-55, the prime working years, migraine places a tremendous burden on employers, primarily in the form of lost productivity as well as increased health benefits cos ts. The fact that migraine is underdiagnosed and undertreated suggests the existence of opportunities for interventions that will reduce tha t toll. This article focuses on the contributions that employee health units may make to such interventions, In addition to first aid for mi graine attacks occuring during working hours, these interventions may include educating occupational health staff,; managers, and line super visors about the management of migraine; identifying migraineurs in th e workforce; educating them about their problem and ensuring that they are receiving optimal care; controlling exposures to factors in the w orkplace that may trigger migraine attacks; and managing disability to minimize loss of productivity. Perhaps most important is encouraging migraineurs to be more aggressive in confronting this problem and empo wering them to seek out personal physicians who will guide them to eff ective treatment and preventive regimens.