Culturally Embedded Migraine Intervention Program (CEMIP) among employed and homemaker Indian women: a comparative randomized controlled trial
摘要
Migraine is a chronic and disabling neurological condition that disproportionately affects women, with psychosocial stress contributing to symptom onset and maintenance. Although non-pharmacological interventions are effective in migraine management, many are derived from Western clinical models and may have limited cultural resonance in non-Western contexts. The present study developed and evaluated the Culturally Embedded Migraine Intervention Program (CEMIP), a multicomponent stress-reduction intervention incorporating culturally familiar Indian practices, among employed and homemaker women. A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted with 100 women aged 30–45 years diagnosed with migraine according to ICHD-3 criteria. Participants were stratified by employment status and randomly allocated to CEMIP or treatment-as-usual. Migraine frequency was assessed using prospective headache diaries, and adherence was monitored through structured activity logs. Participants assigned to the CEMIP condition demonstrated significantly greater reductions in migraine frequency than controls, with a large main effect of intervention. The Intervention × Employment Status interaction was not significant, indicating no evidence of differential intervention effects across employment groups. Exploratory analysis showed that higher adherence was associated with greater symptom improvement. Descriptive participant feedback reflected recurring experiences of emotional release, cultural familiarity, and perceived self-efficacy. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the short-term efficacy of CEMIP and support further evaluation of culturally contextualized adjunctive approaches to migraine management.