A new survey by the Migraine Trust has found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK are significantly more likely to receive poorer migraine care and to fear discrimination because of their condition.
Migraines affect about one in seven people in the UK. But the survey of 2,200 people revealed large disparities: 23% of mixed-ethnicity, 19% of Asian and 16% of Black respondents said their ethnicity negatively influenced their treatment, compared with just 7% of white respondents. Black respondents were also more likely to fear discrimination at work and to worry they would not be believed about their symptoms.
Some, like 26-year-old Abigail Kabirou, reported being stereotyped as more tolerant of pain, leading to inadequate care.
Migraine Trust chief executive Rob Music said these inequalities “cannot be continued”, noting that gender, ethnicity and social grade all affect how people with migraines are treated. The report also found widespread issues across all groups, including misdiagnosis and dismissal of symptoms—particularly among women and young people.
Health leaders from the Neurological Alliance called for urgent action from employers, the NHS and policymakers to close these gaps. An NHS spokesperson stressed that all patients should have equitable access to care and encouraged those with migraines to seek support from their GP.
