title: Access to care--an unmet need in headache management?
abstract: Access to care for headache sufferers is not always simple. A survey conducted in a large number of members of lay associations point to the existence of multiple barriers to care for headache in several European countries. Patients usually discover the existence of specialized structures with a delay of several years after the onset of their headache. Furthermore, a relevant portion of them are not satisfied with the management of their disease, partly because of the poor efficacy of treatments and partly because of the difficulty to get in touch with the specialist. Headache disorders, and primary headaches in particular, represent an important issue in public health, because they are common, disabling and treatable. A joint effort is required from the relevant stakeholders (scientists, lay organizations, decision-makers, healthcare policymakers, and others) to improve the access to care for headache sufferers.
authors.affiliation: Headache Science Centre, C, Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy. cristina.tassorelli@mondino.it.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tassorelli
authors.forename: Ingemar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Farm
authors.forename: Hilkka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kettinen
authors.forename: Elena Ruiz
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stretenovic
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vriezen
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Os
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Craven
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*
references.citation: J Headache Pain. 2007 Sep;8(4):205-8
references.pmid: 17901925
references.citation: J Headache Pain. 2009 Aug;10(4):241-7
references.pmid: 19484351
references.citation: Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Dec;24(12):3413-22
references.pmid: 19032123
references.citation: J Headache Pain. 2011 Jun;12(3):273-4
references.pmid: 21512775
references.citation: J Headache Pain. 2011 Aug;12(4):419-26
references.pmid: 21380555
references.citation: Cephalalgia. 1996 Feb;16(1):50-5; discussion 4
references.pmid: 8825700
references.citation: Headache. 2006 Apr;46(4):563-76
references.pmid: 16643549
references.citation: Handb Clin Neurol. 2010;97:245-9
references.pmid: 20816426
references.citation: Neurol Sci. 2005 May;26 Suppl 2:s140-2
references.pmid: 15926013