title: The cost of headache disorders in Europe: the Eurolight project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Headache disorders are very common, but their monetary costs in Europe are unknown. We performed the first comprehensive estimation of how economic resources are lost to headache in Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2008 to August 2009, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in eight countries representing 55% of the adult EU population. Participation rates varied between 11% and 59%. In total, 8412 questionnaires contributed to this analysis. Using bottom-up methodology, we estimated direct (medications, outpatient health care, hospitalization and investigations) and indirect (work absenteeism and reduced productivity at work) annual per-person costs. Prevalence data, simultaneously collected and, for migraine, also derived from a systematic review, were used to impute national costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean per-person annual costs were €1222 for migraine (95% CI 1055-1389; indirect costs 93%), €303 for tension-type headache (TTH, 95% CI 230-376; indirect costs 92%), €3561 for medication-overuse headache (MOH, 95% CI 2487-4635; indirect costs 92%), and €253 for other headaches (95% CI 99-407; indirect costs 82%). In the EU, the total annual cost of headache amongst adults aged 18-65 years was calculated, according to our prevalence estimates, at €173 billion, apportioned to migraine (€111 billion; 64%), TTH (€21 billion; 12%), MOH (€37 billion; 21%) and other headaches (€3 billion; 2%). Using the 15% systematic review prevalence of migraine, calculated costs were somewhat lower (migraine €50 billion, all headache €112 billion annually).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Headache disorders are prominent health-related drivers of immense economic losses for the EU. This has immediate implications for healthcare policy. Health care for headache can be both improved and cost saving.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. mattias.linde@ntnu.no
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gustavsson
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stovner
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barré
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Katsarava
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lainez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lampl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lantéri-Minet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rastenyte
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruiz de la Torre
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tassorelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrée
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult