- 84% of people with migraine (PwM) and 92% of healthcare
professionals (HCPs) agree that worsening migraine leads to poorer
mental health
- Nearly all HCPs (93%) feel mental health impacts a PwM's
ability to successfully manage their migraine
- 77% of PwM worry about stigma of migraine and mental health
and are hesitant to discuss with their HCP
MOUNT
ROYAL, NJ, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American
Migraine Foundation (AMF) and Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: BHVN)
today announced findings from a new survey about migraine and its
impact on mental health. The results of the Migraine and Mental
Health Connection Survey reveal that the majority of healthcare
professionals (HCPs) and people with migraine (PwM) strongly
believe that migraine and mental health significantly impact each
other. The survey also found that stigma surrounding migraine is a
significant barrier PwM face in discussing mental health issues
with their HCP.
The survey, which included 1,100 PwM who also identify as having
a mental health condition and 302 HCPs that treat neurological
diseases found nearly all HCPs (91%) and two-thirds of PwM (67%)
believe that those who are better able to successfully manage their
stress and mental health conditions are also better able to manage
migraine.
"Migraine is complex and has the capacity to disrupt a person's
life, relationships and sense of well-being, which in turn can
impact their mental health," said Judy
Ho, Ph.D., triple board-certified clinical and forensic
neuropsychologist and former co-host of The Doctors. "The
Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey showed that
people with migraine and healthcare professionals are aligned in
recognizing that the unpredictable and disabling nature of migraine
attacks often creates worry and anxiety that can add difficulty to
one's ability to manage migraine and further impact their mental
health. This is often referred to as a "vicious cycle" between
migraine and mental health. It's important that people with
migraine understand that improving mental health can lead to better
migraine outcomes, and vice versa."
Conversations Around Migraine and Mental Health
One
vital step in improving those outcomes is talking to a trusted HCP.
Two-thirds of PwM said that it is important to discuss mental
health with the HCP treating their migraine and nearly 60% report
raising the topic themselves, even though most wish their HCP would
initiate the conversation. The survey found a marked discordancy
between HCPs and PwM on this topic, as 70% of HCPs state they ask
about mental health conditions often, if not always.
"Closing the gaps in communication between healthcare
professionals and their patients can help improve migraine and
mental health management," said Larry
Newman, M.D., professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School
of Medicine and chair of AMF. "I hope that the findings of this
survey encourage people with migraine to feel empowered to speak
out about their pain and have deeper, meaningful conversations
about migraine and mental health without worrying about stigma.
These are important conversations that both people with migraine
and healthcare professionals should initiate at every visit."
Interestingly, the survey found that HCPs underestimate the
percentage of PwM suffering from depression and anxiety disorders.
While 57% and 50% of PwM report having been diagnosed with an
anxiety or depressive disorder, respectively, HCPs estimate these
conditions occur in just 29% and 30% of patients,
respectively."
Treatment Approach
Both PwM (87%) and HCPs (94%)
believe that mental health would benefit from improved migraine
control. The top three recommended mental health treatments by HCPs
are medication (83%), psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy
(71%) and relaxation therapy (70%). But PwM do not report using
these techniques as frequently (58%, 28% and 26%, respectively).
Nearly all HCPs (91%) and over half of the PwM respondents (54%)
feel that migraine management needs to be more flexible by
tailoring treatment to patient needs. Additionally, almost all PwM
feel it is equally important to treat migraine and mental health
and want their HCP to factor these dual priorities in their
treatment plan.
"At Biohaven, we are driven to help the millions of people
suffering from migraine to better manage their attacks," said
Vlad Coric, M.D., Chief Executive
Officer and Chairman of the board of Biohaven. "This survey
conducted by the American Migraine Foundation allows us to learn
more about the perspectives of HCPs and their patients with
migraine as we work to better understand the complexities of
migraine and its impact on mental health."
For more information on migraine and its impact on mental
health, visit www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.
This survey was conducted with support by Biohaven
Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
About the Survey
The Migraine and Mental Health
Connection Survey was an online, quantitative opinion survey
conducted by the American Migraine Foundation and funded by
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. The survey was fielded
between April and May 2022 and
included responses from 1,100 people with migraine (PwM) and a
mental health condition, and 302 healthcare professionals (HCPs)
that treat neurological disease (including 50 neurologists, 50
headache specialists and 202 general practitioners).
About Migraine
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S.
suffer from migraine and the World Health Organization classifies
migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses.
Migraine is characterized by debilitating attacks lasting four to
72 hours with multiple symptoms, including pulsating headaches of
moderate to severe pain intensity that can be associated with
nausea or vomiting, and/or sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) and
sensitivity to light (photophobia). There is a significant unmet
need for new treatments as more than 90 percent of people with
migraine are unable to work or function normally during an
attack.
About the American Migraine Foundation
The American
Migraine Foundation provides education, support and resources for
the millions of men, women and children living with migraine. Our
mission is to advance migraine research, promote patient advocacy
and expand access to care for patients worldwide. Migraine and
other disabling diseases that cause severe head pain impact more
than 39 million people in the United
States alone. By educating caregivers and giving patients
the tools to advocate for themselves, we have cultivated a movement
that gives a collective voice to the migraine community. Working
closely with migraine and headache experts at our partner
organization, the American Headache Society, we educate caregivers
and give patients the tools to advocate for themselves, cultivating
a movement that gives a collective voice to the migraine community.
For more information, please visit
www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.
About Biohaven
Biohaven is a global
commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of
innovative, best-in-class therapies to improve the lives of
patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric
diseases, including rare disorders. Biohaven's Neuroinnovation™
portfolio includes FDA-approved Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) for the
acute and preventive treatment of migraine (EMA-approved as
Vydura® for the acute treatment of migraine with or without
aura, and prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults who have at
least four migraine attacks per month) and a broad pipeline of
late-stage product candidates across five distinct mechanistic
platforms: CGRP receptor antagonism for the acute and preventive
treatment of migraine; glutamate modulation for
obsessive-compulsive disorder and spinocerebellar ataxia; and MPO
inhibition for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Kv7 Ion Channel
Activators (Kv7) activators for focal epilepsy and neuronal
hyperexcitability, and myostatin inhibition for neuromuscular
diseases. More information about Biohaven is available at
www.biohavenpharma.com.
NURTEC®, NURTEC ODT and VYDURA are registered
trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Ireland DAC. Neuroinnovation
and NOJECTION are trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding
Company Ltd.
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Media Contact
Mike
Beyer
Sam Brown Inc.
mikebeyer@sambrown.com
312-961-2502
American Migraine Foundation Contact
Heather Phillips
hphillips@americanmigrainefoundation.org
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