Clinician Migraine Knowledge Fails Underserved Patients

Nicole L. Crowell, MS, Doctoral Candidate and Director of Medical Education at PAINWeek, Informa Connect, recently presented her migraine research at the 10th Annual NIH BRAIN Initiative meeting. The two presentations, titled "Leveling the Playing Field: Optimizing Migraine Diagnosis and Treatment in Diverse Racial and Ethnic Patient Populations" and "Understanding the Burden and Impact of Migraine," shared preliminary outcomes from a continuing medical education (CME) webinar series funded by Pfizer. 

"What an honor and an amazing experience to share the preliminary outcomes from our migraine webinar series that was funded by Pfizer at the 10th Annual NIH BRAIN Initiative conference this week! This opportunity to present the early results of our efforts to improve the diagnosis and treatment of migraine in diverse racial and ethnic groups is fundamental to engaging the scientific community in facilitating true health reform for all patients. " - Nicole L. Crowell, MS, Doctoral Candidate, Director of Medical Education at PAINWeek, Informa Connect 

Nicole L. Crowell, MS, Doctoral Candidate, Director of Medical Education at PAINWeek, Informa Connect at NIH

Key Findings: 

• Migraine's Impact:  

  • Causes severe functional impairment 

  • Interferes with daily activities and personal life 

  • Leads to stigmatization and economic strain 

  • Comorbid conditions can worsen symptoms, increase disability, and hinder treatment outcomes 

• Disparities in Migraine Care:  

  • Underserved racial and ethnic populations face higher rates of comorbidities 

  • These groups are more likely to experience socioeconomic strain 

  • Often undertreated or untreated for migraine 

• Education Outcomes:  

  • Statistically significant increases in clinician knowledge after the webinar (P< 0.0001; N=432 pre-test and 404 post-test) 

  • Pre-test: 32% aware of relationship between socioeconomic status and migraine prevalence 

  • Post-test: 64% correctly identified this relationship 

  • Pre-test: 30% aware of higher genetic correlation between migraine and ADHD 

  • Post-test: Over 60% answered correctly 

• Areas for Improvement:  

  • Only 28% of learners post-education correctly identified that Latino populations were less likely to have access to chronic pain care 

  • Almost 40% still incorrectly answered questions about socioeconomic status and migraine after education 

  • 40% still answered incorrectly about genetic correlations post-education 

Clinician knowledge improved significantly after education, but gaps remain. More training is needed on migraine's impact in diverse racial and ethnic groups. 

This research aligns with the Health Equity Advancement and Longevity (HEAL) Initiative recently launched by Informa Connect. The goal of the HEAL Initiative is to optimize patient care in pain management and brain health for diverse patient groups, including racial and ethnic individuals and medically underserved populations through continuing medical education. Our currently funded migraine education series addresses diagnosis and treatment disparities among diverse racial and ethnic patient groups.

Transforming Care Through Ongoing Education 

PAINWeek will host its annual conference from September 3-6, 2024, at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. The CME/CE medical conference will feature over 75 evidence-based pain management courses, including a dedicated Migraine/Headache track: 

1. "Customized is Always Better: Individualized Diets and Supplementation in Migraine" by Robert A. Bonakdar, MD FAAFP FACN 

2. "A Show of Hands: The Art and Science of Physical Examination Part I: Headaches, Neck and Upper Extremity Pain" by David M. Glick, DC, Paul G. Mathew, MD, DNBPAS, FAAN, FAHS, and Ramon L. Cuevas-Trisan, MD 

3. "Complexities and Dimensions of Migraine Care: The Burden of Migraine in the Older Adult Population and How to Optimize Treatment Selection" by Nebojsa (Nick) Knezevic, MD, PhD 

4. "Women and Migraine: Throughout the Lifespan" by Annika Ehrlich, DNP, FNP-C, CNRN, AQH 

To learn more about PAINWeek 2024 and attend this medical education conference, click here.