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.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. RES. 1160 Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as ‘‘Pain Aware- ness 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 dis- proportionate impact of migraine disease and headache disorders on women. Whereas approximately 36,000,000 Americans live with mi- graine disease, more than have asthma or diabetes com- bined, and 6,000,000 Americans experience chronic mi- graine, 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 ex- treme sensitivity to light, sound, and smells; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Oct 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1160.IH HR1160 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 1160 IH 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 at- tacks 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 dis- parities 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 dis- missed by medical professionals and society as a whole, contributing to their pain and the cascading effects there- from; 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Oct 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1160.IH HR1160 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 1160 IH 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 con- sequences 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 in- stead exceed $200,000,000 each year; Whereas migraine disease and cluster headache are disabling diseases but largely symptomatic, without reliable diag- nostic physical signs or lab findings, meaning that Fed- eral regulations prohibiting claimant symptoms from sup- porting 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Oct 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1160.IH HR1160 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 1160 IH coverage of safe and effective oxygen therapy: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) expresses support for the designation of 2 ‘‘Pain Awareness Month’’ in order to highlight invis- 3 ible diseases like migraine and headache disorders 4 which have a disproportionate impact on women; 5 (2) emphasizes the need for additional Federal 6 support for migraine disease and headache dis- 7 orders, including increased Federal research fund- 8 ing, access to treatment options and diagnostic 9 methods including telemedicine, and economic incen- 10 tives for additional employer accommodations; and 11 (3) recognizes and reaffirms a commitment to 12 public education about migraine disease and head- 13 ache disorders to reduce stigma. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Oct 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR1160.IH HR1160 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS