Migraine Headaches Cause Millions of Lost Work Days EveryYear

Feb. 27, 2001
Migraine headaches cause Canadians to lose at least 7 million\r\nworking days a year, according to Statistics Canada.

Migraine headaches cause Canadians to lose at least 7 million working days a year, according to Statistics Canada.

That number, and the number of people who suffer migraines, may be understated because many sufferers do not seek clinical treatment, the agency said in its 1998-99 National Population Health Survey.

One in every 12 Canadians aged 12 or older -- nearly 2 million people -- were diagnosed as having migraine headaches, the survey indicated.

Migraine can compromise productivity and lifestyle. It can result in days away from work, hinder job performance and generally restrict activities.

"Migraine sufferers reported an average of 1.8 disability days for the two-week period before the survey was taken in 1998-99, while non-sufferers reported only 0.8 days," said the report.

The survey found migraines are three times more common in women -- about 12 percent of females aged 12 or more suffered the condition, compared with 4 percent of males the same age.

According to the survey, about 56 percent of migraine sufferers reported getting treatment in 1998-99, up from 48 percent in 1996-97.

Although a large percentage did not seek medical help, those who did tended to be "relatively heavy users of health care services," the agency said.

Migraine sufferers also tended to have other health problems, the study noted.

Nearly 30 percent of females and 20 percent of males with migraines reported other chronic conditions such as allergies, arthritis and rheumatism, back problems, sinusitis and ulcers.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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