Title: Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as "Pain Awareness Month" and recognizing the disproportionate impact of migraine disease and headache disorders on women.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of Pain Awareness Month to bring attention to migraine and headache disorders and their disproportionate impact on women.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1160 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1160

  Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as ``Pain 
   Awareness Month'' and recognizing the disproportionate impact of 
           migraine disease and headache disorders on women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 30, 2020

   Ms. Dean (for herself and Mrs. Lawrence) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as ``Pain 
   Awareness Month'' and recognizing the disproportionate impact of 
           migraine disease and headache disorders on women.

Whereas approximately 36,000,000 Americans live with migraine disease, more than 
        have asthma or diabetes combined, and 6,000,000 Americans experience 
        chronic migraine, a highly disabling neurological disorder and the 
        second-leading cause of global disability;
Whereas a migraine attack can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing 
        sensation, usually on one side of the head, which is often accompanied 
        by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and 
        smells;
Whereas migraine attacks can last for hours to days, with pain so severe that it 
        interferes with daily activities and quality of life;
Whereas the pain of cluster headache attacks is one of the most excruciating 
        human experiences;
Whereas persons living with migraine disease and headache disorders also 
        experience significant stigma, often coming from friends, family, and 
        coworkers;
Whereas migraine disease affects approximately 28,000,000 women in the United 
        States, and 85 percent of those with chronic migraine are women;
Whereas migraine disease and headache disorders are not only physical conditions 
        that require living with chronic pain, but there is also the constant 
        worry that these attacks can strike at any moment, taking an emotional 
        toll and increasing the likelihood of anxiety and depression;
Whereas differences in diagnosis and treatment of headache and migraine 
        disorders in Black, indigenous, and people of color communities may 
        indicate racial and ethnic disparities in access and quality of care for 
        these patients;
Whereas the physical pain of women is routinely dismissed by medical 
        professionals and society as a whole, contributing to their pain and the 
        cascading effects therefrom;
Whereas the physical pain of women of color is routinely dismissed by medical 
        professionals and society as a whole, contributing to their pain and the 
        cascading effects therefrom;
Whereas studies have shown that racial bias can affect how doctors assess and 
        treat pain, including a 2016 study that showed trainees who believed 
        that Black people are not as sensitive to pain as White people were less 
        likely to treat Black people's pain appropriately;
Whereas migraine disease is three times more common in women, reaching peak 
        prevalence between 30 and 39 years of age, at a time when many women are 
        rapidly growing in their career and balancing work, family, and social 
        obligations, further contributing to the wage gap;
Whereas women account for a large majority of the estimated $78,000,000,000 in 
        migraine-associated economic costs in the United States, representing 
        about 80 percent of both direct medical costs and lost labor costs 
        including presenteeism and absenteeism;
Whereas migraine disease has significant negative consequences for individuals, 
        their families, and society as a whole;
Whereas the National Institutes for Health (NIH) funded less than $40,000,000 in 
        headache disorders research in fiscal year 2019, amounting to 0.1 
        percent of the total NIH budget, and comparisons with NIH funding of 
        other diseases of similar disability and disease burden indicate that 
        funding of headache disorders research should instead exceed 
        $200,000,000 each year;
Whereas migraine disease and cluster headache are disabling diseases but largely 
        symptomatic, without reliable diagnostic physical signs or lab findings, 
        meaning that Federal regulations prohibiting claimant symptoms from 
        supporting SSDI/SSI eligibility as medically determinable impairments in 
        sequential evaluation unfairly prevent their inclusion; and
Whereas access to relief from cluster headache is often inexplicably limited by 
        lack of insurance and Medicare coverage of safe and effective oxygen 
        therapy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``Pain 
        Awareness Month'' in order to highlight invisible diseases like 
        migraine and headache disorders which have a disproportionate 
        impact on women;
            (2) emphasizes the need for additional Federal support for 
        migraine disease and headache disorders, including increased 
        Federal research funding, access to treatment options and 
        diagnostic methods including telemedicine, and economic 
        incentives for additional employer accommodations; and
            (3) recognizes and reaffirms a commitment to public 
        education about migraine disease and headache disorders to 
        reduce stigma.
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