Migraine care in the Veteran’s Health Administration: are there differences between men and women?

Takeaway

  • There is a higher prevalence of migraine among women compared to men, with significant gender differences for migraine and headache diagnosis and comorbidities in the Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) cohort.  

Why this matters?

  • Veterans are more likely to experience migraine and headaches than non-veterans. Accumulating research indicates a higher prevalence of migraine in women; however, findings on migraine characteristics and military exposures in men are few.

  • Understanding the effects of migraine in a larger VHA population may help improve the quality of care for veterans and even across the wider population of migraine sufferers.