Headache
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Headache disorders are exceedingly common, debilitating neurological conditions, and there is a striking paucity of headache specialists nationally. However, headache education is underrepresented in the curriculum of neurology residency programs and few neurology residents elect to pursue headache medicine fellowships. We aimed to explore the possibility that a low degree of headache interest among neurology department chairs and residency program directors (PDs) underlies this mismatch. ⋯ Current neurology department chairs and residency PDs have low rates of headache interest, which may influence the emphasis of headache education in neurology training. Headache interest is associated with lower rates of other graduate degrees, and future analysis should examine if academic faculty interested in headache are less likely to be in leadership positions because of a lack of research funding, opportunities, or accomplishments.
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The aim of this initiative was to evaluate the clinical impact, patient acceptability, and sustainability of implementing a newly developed evidence-guided migraine education program in an academic headache center. ⋯ The HEAD program, created to help manage lengthy appointment wait times, was associated with lowering migraine-associated disability, decreasing ED visits, reducing medication and narcotic use and overuse. Education empowers patients to take an active role in their care, especially in regards to improving treatment timing and modifiable lifestyle behaviors. This education program can potentially play a role in early intervention for headache patients especially with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache.