Adolescent Perspectives on the Burden of a Parent's Migraine: Results from the CaMEO Study

Objective: To assess the impact of parental migraine on adolescents (aged 13-21 years) living within the parental home from the adolescent's perspective.

Background: Family members are affected by their parent's migraine. We surveyed adolescents on the social, academic, and emotional effects of their parent's migraine.

Methods: The Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) study was a longitudinal Web-based study with cross-sectional modules designed to assess migraine symptoms, severity, frequency, and disability; migraine-related consulting practices, healthcare utilization, medication use, comorbid health conditions, and family related burden associated with migraine. The Family Burden Module (adolescent version; FBM-A) from the CaMEO study assessed parents with migraine and adolescent household members (dyads). Adolescents ranged in age from 13-21 years and were living at home with their parent. The initial FBM-A survey included 52 items covering five domains, which was refined and reduced by confirmatory factor analysis to 36 items covering four domains. Depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and anxiety (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale) were assessed. Item responses were stratified by parent migraine status (episodic migraine [EM], <15 headache days/month; chronic migraine [CM], ≥15 headache days/month). Frequencies of activities/events missed because of parental headache were categorized as ≥1 time or ≥4 times/previous 30 days.

Results: The sample included 1,411 parent-adolescent dyads (parent with EM, n = 1,243 [88.1%]; parent with CM, n = 168 [11.9%]). Burden due to a parent's migraine was reported in four domains based on 36 items including: Loss of Parental Support and Reverse Caregiving (5 items); Emotional Experience (13 items); Interference with School (4 items); and Missed Activities and Events (14 items). Across domains, perceived burden was greater for adolescents of parents with CM vs EM. Rates of moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms were higher among adolescents of parents with CM (6.2 vs 11.3%, P = .01), while moderate-to-severe depression symptom rates were similar (5.5 vs 8.9%, P = .08). More adolescents of CM vs EM parents reported having a headache within the previous 3 months (P < .001).

Conclusions: Parental migraine negatively impacts adolescent children, extending our understanding of the family burden of migraine and emphasizing the potential benefit to children of optimizing migraine care.