Dr. Williams for U.S. News & World Report: Migraines Are a Health Equity Issue. Here's Why.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT less than half of all people who experience migraine headaches are aware of their diagnosis. In other words, tens of millions of people have headaches that meet the clinical criteria for migraine, yet they're unaware that a migraine headache is a type from which they suffer. Often, people misclassify and misattribute their migraine headaches to a different cause. Many factors contribute to the significant lack of migraine awareness in the general sense. However, there are additional compounding factors for people of color who experience migraines.

There are studies that explore the experiential and biological difference between migraine headaches in men and women. However, especially when it comes to migraine research, there's a lack of quality data focused on racial or socioeconomic disparities. Beyond the biological and behavioral factors that contribute to migraines, it's critical that research explores the social and structural issues that contribute to overall health.

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