Migraine is a Workplace Health Issue

Migraine: Not Just a Headache Connect to the video: Listen in here

Derived from its mission of demonstrating the full economic value of employee health, the organizing theme for the Institute for Health and Productivity Management's (IHPM) Spring Forum this year was The Equation: RFI = IWP – Reduced Functional Impairment = Improved Work Performance.  

Also called “presenteeism,” functional impairment at work is the largest single economic cost related to employees’ health – bigger than direct medical spending and absenteeism combined. 

A significant DEI issue and no one is talking about it -- it's not in claims databases.... Connect to the video: Listen in here

There is no more dramatic example of how such impairment can impact on-the-job performance than migraine attacks, which are much more complex than just a headache and far more debilitating, highly prevalent especially among working women, and a leading global reason for disability. Yet, despite all this, migraines remain overlooked by most employers and under-treated for many sufferers even as new medical breakthrough treatments have appeared. Enjoy access to the video link above and stay tuned for Part II: How It's Done at Metro Nashville Public Schools

Make this your Forum for "asking the experts" Enter your comments/questions at the end of this article

The Experts: 1) Moderator: Carole Mendoza, VP of Benefits, Voya Financial; 2) Robert E. Shapiro, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont; Steering Committee, Migraine at Work; and Founder, The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy; 3) Paula K. Dumas, CoFounder & CEO, World Health Education Foundation and Executive Producer & Co-Host, Migraine World Summit.

Carole Mendoza is a Global Benefits Leader whose career spans 20+ years in strategic program planning and design for multinational Fortune 500 companies, including IBM and Amgen. In 2021, she joined Voya Financial as the Vice President of Benefits, where she crafts the enterprise benefits strategy, expands employee retirement readiness initiatives, and champions DE&I and health equity across the organization.

An MPH candidate at The George Washington University—Milken Institute School of Public Health, Carole is working to deepen her expertise in health policy. She also holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and has earned her Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans as well as Certification in the Professional Discipline of Health and Productivity Management. Carole serves on the Board of the Midwest Business Group on Health and as Board Chair of 2020 Mom, a nonprofit focused on closing gaps in maternal mental health. Connect with Carole on LinkedIn (click here).

Dr. Robert Shapiro (Bob) is a professor and practicing neurologist in the Department of Neurological Sciences at the Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont.

He received his MD from Columbia University, and completed his residency training in Neurology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He also holds an MA in Philosophy/Psychology from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania.

Bob is the Founding President of the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy, and his national advocacy efforts have been recognized by the American Academy of Neurology with its Palatucci Advocate of the Year and Viste Patient Advocate of the Year Awards. Dr. Shapiro also was recognized by the American Headache Society with its Above & Beyond and Distinguished Service Awards, and is the Past President of the Headache Cooperative of New England – which gave him its Lifetime Achievement (‘Megrim’) Award.

Dr. Shapiro’s research studies have been recognized by the American Headache Society with the Harold G. Wolff Lecture Award. His publications have appeared in the journals Nature, Science, Headache, and Science Translational Medicine, as well as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Paula K. Dumas is the Founder and former Editor in Chief at Migraineagain.com, a trusted website and community for people with migraine and frequent headaches. She is an expert in Migraine, Headache Disorders, Pain, Health Advocacy, Working with Migraine, Impact of Migraine on Life, Work and Relationships, Migraine Prevention and Treatment, and New Migraine Therapies.

In addition to Migraine Again, Paula serves as the Producer & Co-Host of the Migraine World Summit; President of World Health Education Foundation; Producer & Co-Host of Migraine World Onstage; Host of the MigraineAgain Podcast; Chair of the Migraine at Work campaign; Board Member of American Migraine Foundation; Member of International Headache Society Global Patient Advocacy Committee; and Founding Steering Committee Member of CHAMP (Coalition of Headache and Migraine Patients).

She has been published in various media including The Migraine World Summit, Headache: The Journal of Headache and Face Pain, Cephalalgia, Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders, and The Journal of Headache and Pain.

Ms. Dumas holds a B.A. in Economics and Communications degree from University of California, San Diego. Connect with Paula on LinkedIn (click here)

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"Making a remarkable impact on people's lives".... This session was sponsored by AbbVie and supported by Migraine At Work