Public policies in headache disorders: needs and possibilities.

Although headaches have recognized impact, there are no public policies in Brazil addressing this problem. The Brazilian Headache Society and the Brazilian Association of Cluster Headache and Migraine promoted a summit to discuss Public Policy and Advocacy for headache disorders. Professionals from various segments, representing various sectors of society, gathered in April 2019 in Brasília, defining the most important points for achieving advances in public policies in headache in Brazil, such as: inclusion in the chronic diseases surveillance agenda; improving public understanding and access to diagnosis and treatment; teaching in colleges and medical residences, structuring care networks, intervention models, clinical protocols and legislation supporting public policies in headache.

Public policies in headache disorders: needs and possibilities / Políticas públicas em cefaleias: necessidades e possibilidades

Abstract Although headaches have recognized impact, there are no public policies in Brazil addressing this problem. The Brazilian Headache Society and the Brazilian Association of Cluster Headache and Migraine promoted a summit to discuss Public Policy and Advocacy for headache disorders. Professionals from various segments, representing various sectors of society, gathered in April 2019 in Brasília, defining the most important points for achieving advances in public policies in headache in Brazil, such as: inclusion in the chronic diseases surveillance agenda; improving public understanding and access to diagnosis and treatment; teaching in colleges and medical residences, structuring care networks, intervention models, clinical protocols and legislation supporting public policies in headache.

Resumo Embora as cefaleias tenham reconhecido impacto, não há no Brasil políticas públicas voltadas para este problema. A Sociedade Brasileira de Cefaleia e Associação Brasileira de Cefaleia e Enxaqueca promoveram um seminário para a discussão de Políticas Públicas e Advocacy (defesa dos direitos dos pacientes) em Cefaleias. Reuniram-se em abril de 2019 em Brasília, profissionais de vários segmentos, representando diversos setores da sociedade, definindo os pontos mais importantes para que se obtenham avanços nas políticas públicas em cefaleias no Brasil, tais como: inclusão na agenda de vigilância das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis; melhora do entendimento do público e seu acesso a diagnóstico e tratamento; ensino em faculdades e residências médicas, estruturação de redes de atendimento, modelos de intervenção, protocolos clínicos e legislação de apoio às políticas públicas em cefaleia.

Migraine: a major debilitating chronic non-communicable disease in Brazil, evidence from two national surveys.

BACKGROUND: Even though migraine and other primary headache disorders are common and debilitating, major health surveys in Brazil have not included them. We repair this omission by combining data on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS) 2013 with epidemiological data on migraine prevalence and severity in Brazil. The purpose is to rank migraine and its impact on public healthh among NCDs in order to support public-health policy toward better care for migraine in Brazil. METHODS: Data from PNS, a cross-sectional population-based study, were merged with estimates made by the Brazilian Headache Epidemiology Study (BHES) of migraine prevalence (numbers of people affected and of candidates for migraine preventative therapy) and migraine-attributed disability. RESULTS: Migraine ranked second in prevalence among the NCDs, and as the highest cause of disability among adults in Brazil. Probable migraine accounted for substantial additional disability. An estimated total of 5.5 million people in Brazil (or 9.5 million with probable migraine included) were in need of preventative therapy. CONCLUSION: On this evidence, migraine should be included in the next health surveys in Brazil. Public-health policy should recognize the burden of migraine expressed in public ill health, and promote health services offering better diagnosis and treatment.