# Migraine self-management at work: a qualitative study

## TL;DR

This study explores how people with migraines manage their condition at work and how workplace factors influence their ability to do so, especially during the pandemic.

## Contribution

The study identifies workplace factors such as job decision latitude and social interactions that influence migraine self-management, particularly during the pandemic.

## Key findings

- Migraine self-management at work is influenced by social interactions, job decision latitude, and workplace design.
- Increased job decision latitude during the pandemic was found to favorably impact migraine self-management.
- Creating migraine-friendly workplaces requires addressing psychosocial working conditions.

## Abstract

Migraine is common and can be highly disabling. Adequate migraine self-management (SM) can mitigate the potentially adverse health effects of migraine. However, adequate SM can be challenging to implement in everyday life, for instance, at the workplace. We aimed to explore how migraine SM is carried out at work and which occupational factors may determine effective implementation according to employees with migraine. We also explored the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated re-arrangement of working conditions on migraine SM at work.

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews (08/2020–01/2021). Participants were eligible if they have worked for at least six months with a minimum of twenty hours per week and with a migraine diagnosis. The interviews were transcribed and content-analyzed using MAXQDA.

Migraine SM was perceived to be influenced by social interactions at work (e.g., in terms of understanding vs. stigmatization), the level of job decision latitude (JDL, i.e., the extent to which one is able to influence work processes, e.g., when working from home), and workplace design (e.g., in terms of opportunities to withdraw from work). During the COVID-19 pandemic, especially increased JDL appeared to favorably influence migraine SM.

Migraine SM at work is fostered or complicated by various psychosocial working conditions. By considering these facilitators and barriers, more migraine-friendly workplaces can be created.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12995-024-00421-w.