Global Migraine Trends Analysis

December 11, 2024 Cerebral Torque

Source: Dong, L., Dong, W., Jin, Y. et al. (2024). The Global Burden of Migraine: A 30-Year Trend Review and Future Projections by Age, Sex, Country, and Region. Pain Ther.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40122-024-00690-7

Key Terms Explained:

ASPR (Age-Standardized Prevalence Rate): Number of cases per 100,000 people, adjusted for age differences in populations
EAPC (Estimated Annual Percentage Change): How fast the rate is changing year over year
DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years): Years of healthy life lost due to disability and early death
SDI (Sociodemographic Index): Measure of a region's development level (0-1 scale)

Table 1: Basic Numbers - How Big is the Problem?

What We're Measuring	1990	2021	Change	What This Means
Total People Affected	732.56 million	1.16 billion	+58.15%	About 1 in 7 people now have migraine
New Cases Per Year	63.50 million	90.18 million	+42.06%	More new cases being diagnosed yearly
Impact on Life (DALYs)	27.41 million	43.38 million	+58.27%	Increasing impact on quality of life

NOTE: While the absolute number of migraine cases has increased significantly (from 732.56 million to 1.16 billion), primarily due to population growth, the age-standardized prevalence rate has remained relatively stable at around 14% of the global population. However, the total burden on healthcare systems and society continues to grow due to the larger absolute number of affected individuals.

Table 2: Men vs. Women - Who's More Affected?

Measurement	Women (2021)	Men (2021)	What This Tells Us
Number of Cases	725.24 million	433.19 million	Women are more affected overall
Rate per 100,000 (ASPR)	17,902.6	10,624.2	Higher prevalence in women
Growth Rate (EAPC)	0.02	0.13	Men's cases growing 6.5x faster!

NOTE: While women have more migraine, men's cases are increasing much faster, suggesting previous underdiagnosis in men.

Table 3: Age Patterns - When Does Migraine Occur?

Age Group	What We See	Why It Matters
10-14 years	Highest new cases (2,368.93 per 100,000)	Critical age for first onset and intervention
30-34 years	Most total cases (128.09 million)	Major impact during peak working years
40-44 years	Highest overall rate (21,579.93 per 100,000)	Greatest burden during mid-career

NOTE: Migraine often start in teens and peak during prime working years, significantly impacting education and careers.

Table 4: Geographic Differences - Where's the Problem Worst?

Development Level	Rate per 100,000	Trend	What This Means
High SDI (Most Developed)	15,365.14	Stable	Better diagnosis but rates leveling off
Medium SDI	14,200.50	Rising Fast	Improving detection and reporting
Low SDI (Least Developed)	12,808.97	Little Change	Possible underdiagnosis due to limited healthcare

NOTE: Higher reported rates in developed countries likely reflect better healthcare access and diagnosis rather than true differences in occurrence.