Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2025 May 6;26(1):104.
doi: 10.1186/s10194-025-02048-6.

The burden of migraine and predictions in the Asia-Pacific region, 1990-2021: a comparative analysis of China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia

Yun-Xia Wang  1   2 , Guang-Shuang Lu  3 , Jin-Jing Zhao  4   5 , Wei Dai  1 , Na Zheng  1 , Guo-En Yao  6 , Ruo-Zhuo Liu  7
Affiliations
Comparative Study

The burden of migraine and predictions in the Asia-Pacific region, 1990-2021: a comparative analysis of China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia

Yun-Xia Wang et al. J Headache Pain. .

Abstract

Background: Migraine is a leading cause of disability worldwide, significantly impacting quality of life and healthcare systems. Despite its high prevalence and burden, migraine remains underprioritized in global health policies. This study examines the epidemiological trends of migraine in Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea from 1990 to 2021, highlighting regional disparities and forecasting future burdens.

Methods: This study utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 to analyze incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) of migraine. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) were calculated to enable fair cross-country comparisons. Joinpoint regression analysis was applied to assess temporal trends, while Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) modeling was used to project future trends until 2050. Additionally, decomposition analysis was conducted to differentiate the effects of population aging, growth, and epidemiological changes.

Results: In 2021, China had the highest migraine burden, with 13.05 million new cases and 184.75 million prevalent cases, followed by Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Incidence rates peaked in adolescence (10-14 years), while prevalence and disability were highest in middle-aged women (40-44 years). From 1990 to 2021, Australia exhibited stable trends, China experienced increasing burden, Japan saw a decline due to aging, and Korea exhibited mixed patterns influenced by opposing demographic and epidemiological forces. Future projections suggest a stable trend in Australia, declining incidence in China and Japan, and continued burden in Korea.

Conclusion: Migraine remains a significant public health challenge across all four countries, with age, gender, and demographic changes playing key roles in burden variations. The study highlights the need for region-specific healthcare strategies and age- and gender-sensitive interventions. Future research should explore socioeconomic, behavioral, and healthcare access factors to refine migraine management strategies.

Keywords: Age-period-cohort modeling; Asia–Pacific; Disability; Epidemiology; Global Burden of Disease; Migraine; Public health policy; Temporal trends.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in Australia in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in China in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in Korea in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in Japan in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Average annual percent change among four countries from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Number and rates of migraine in Australia from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in China in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in Japan in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Burden of migraine regarding the sex and age in Korea in 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Predicted age-standardized rates of migraine regarding the sex in Australia from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Predicted number of migraine regarding the sex in Australia from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Predicted age-standardized rates of migraine regarding the sex in China from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Predicted number of migraine regarding the sex in China from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
Predicted age-standardized rates of migraine regarding the sex in Japan from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Predicted number of migraine regarding the sex in Japan from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 16
Fig. 16
Predicted age-standardized rates of migraine regarding the sex in Korea from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 17
Fig. 17
Predicted number of migraine regarding the sex in Korea from 1990 to 2021. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
Fig. 18
Fig. 18
Decomposition method of migraine number from 1990 to 2021 for four countries. A Incidence, B Prevalence, C YLDs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Steiner TJ (2004) Lifting the burden: the global campaign against headache. Lancet Neurol 3(4):204–205 - PubMed
    1. Burch RC, Buse DC, Lipton RB (2019) Migraine: epidemiology, burden, and comorbidity. Neurol Clin 37(4):631–649 - PubMed
    1. GBD (2021) Diseases and Injuries Collaborators (2024) Global incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021. Lancet 403(10440):2133–2161 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Cen J, Wang Q, Cheng L et al (2024) Global, regional, and national burden and trends of migraine among women of childbearing age from 1990 to 2021: insights from the global burden of disease study 2021. J Headache Pain 25(1):96 - PMC - PubMed
    1. GBD (2016) Headache Collaborators (2018) Global, regional, and national burden of migraine and tension-type headache, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2016. Lancet Neurol 17(11):954–976 - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources