Department of Neurological Sciences

Robert Shapiro, M.D., Ph.D., is professor emeritus of neurological sciences and a fellow with the American Academy of Neurology.

(JANUARY 22, 2024) Robert Shapiro, M.D., Ph.D., professor emeritus of neurological sciences, commented about a study he co-authored focusing on stigma surrounding migraine, and related health outcomes, Safety+Health reported.

Feelings of shame or embarrassment, on top of physical symptoms, can cause migraine sufferers to miss additional workdays, researchers concluded. The researchers used data from more than 59,000 people who completed a survey about their migraines. Survey questions included, “How often have you felt that others viewed your migraine as a way to get attention?”, “How often have you felt that others viewed your migraine as something that made things difficult for your co-workers or supervisor?”, and “How often have you felt that others viewed your migraine with a lack of understanding of the pain and other symptoms?” The survey also included questions on how many workdays were missed over the previous three months.

“Stigma is common where the disease is not readily apparent to others, and there is indication that it could be especially relevant for those living with migraine,” Shapiro stated, adding that the “social context of migraine may have a greater impact on quality of life than the number of monthly headache days. However, it is possible that connecting with others with migraine may help decrease migraine-related stigma and stereotypes. More studies are needed to explore the mechanisms that link stigma to health outcomes.”

The study was published online in AAN’s journal Neurology.

This research was also covered in a NeurologyLive article on January 22, 2024, and by ScienceDaily, Physician's Weekly, and other media outlets.