Work

Impact of migraine on quality of life and disability: a matched cross-sectional comparative study in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Migraine-related disabilities have a significant disease burden and are an important factor in impaired quality of life (QOL) of affected persons. This study aimed to compare QOL and migraine disability score in patients with migraine with healthy controls. Methods A matched cross-sectional comparative study was carried out at the Neurology Clinic between August 2023 and March 2026. The study population included 100 migraine patients aged 18–60 years and 100 healthy controls matched by age and sex. All participants completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, and migraine patients completed the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS). Results A total of 100 migraine patients and 100 controls were recruited. Participants with migraine had a significantly lower total WHOQOL-BREF score than controls ( p = 0.013). Similarly, physical health (64.86 vs. 74.52, p < 0.001) and psychological health scores (70.12 vs. 73.95, p = 0.010) were significantly lower than controls. Poor physical health was associated with QOL ( p < 0.001, OR = 0.938). 19 percent of patients had severe disability, with a higher monthly frequency of headaches (mean 4.21). Photophobia, higher frequency of headaches, and poor overall perception of health were associated with migraine disability. The Wald statistic (11.805) suggested that headache frequency contributed meaningfully to disability. Migraine patients with disability had significantly lower total QOL scores (69.62) compared to those with no or little disability (75.00, p = 0.003). Conclusion Migraines are associated with a significant decrease in QOL and increased disability, especially in physical health. These findings highlight the burden of migraine on daily function and wellbeing. Using these validated assessment tools to evaluate quality of life and detect disabilities, clinicians can facilitate more effective and individualized management plans.

Source: Frontiers in Neurology

DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1919937