Assessing the Impact of Migraine Onset on Work Productivity

Objective: Examine the impact of migraine on work productivity, and particularly the association between time of migraine onset and lost productivity as measured by absenteeism and presenteeism. Methods: A total of 509 people with migraine completed one online baseline survey and a diary survey after each of their next three migraines. All subjects were 18 or older and employed full time. Results: Sixty-four percent of migraines occurred on a workday. Of these, 68% resulted in some work productivity impact in the form of absenteeism or presenteeism. Migraines occurring during usual sleeping hours or prior to the start of work had the greatest impact on productivity. Conclusions: Findings indicate that absenteeism and presenteeism are both substantial contributors to work productivity loss. Primary factors associated with lost productivity include pain severity, migraine symptoms, and sleep disturbance.