Despite the number of research studies regarding the individual burden of migraine, few studies have examined its impact on the patients’ partners. We aim to assess migraine effects on the patients’ partners on sentimental relationship, children relationship, friendship, and work, as well as the caregiver burden, anxiety and/or depression.
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted through online questionnaire from patients’ partners with migraine followed-up in five Headache Units. Questions about the four areas of interest and two scales (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Zarit’s scale) were included. Scores were compared against the population prevalence.
One hundred fifty-five answers were analyzed. Among the patient’s partners 135/155 (87.1%) were men, with a mean age of 45.6 ± 10.1 years. Migraine’s main effects on partners were observed on the sentimental relationship and items concerning children and friendships, with a minor impact at work. Partners showed a moderate burden (12/155 = 7.7% [4.1%-13.1%]), and a higher moderate-severe anxiety rate (23/155 = 14.8% [9.6%-21.4%]), and similar depression rate (5/155 = 3.2% [1.1%-7.3%]) compared to the National Health Survey.
The burden of migraine impacts the partners’ personal relationship, children care, friendship and work. Moreover, certain migraine partners showed a moderate burden according to Zarit’s scale and higher anxiety levels than the Spanish population.
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.
