Trends in healthcare utilisation of patients with migraine in South Korea: a retrospective observational study using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service National Patient Sample data from 2010 to 2018

OBJECTIVE: This study used 2010–2018 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service National Patient Sample data to analyse the distribution and healthcare utilisation of patients with migraine in South Korea. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational study using serial cross-sectional data. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with primary diagnosis of G43, a Korean Standard Classification of Diseases-10 code for migraine, were included in the analysis. The exclusion criteria were missing code information; code for dental, health centre or psychiatry; institution type specified as nursing hospital, psychiatric hospital, dental hospital, midwifery centre or health centre; blank entries for total cost or days of care. 453 246 records of patients and 117 157 patients corresponding to those records were identified. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were medical service utilisation status, treatment methods and drug use status associated with migraine. RESULTS: Cases and patients of migraine increased from 48 846 and 19 468 (2010) to 52 729 and 20 802 (2018), respectively, increases of 7.95% and 6.85%, respectively, compared with 2010. Total cost of care increased from $921 857.88 (2010) to $1 711 219.60 (2018). The most common age range of patients was 45–54 years, with 2.69 times more female than male patients. In Western medicine hospitals, subcutaneous or intramuscular injection therapy was used frequently, while in Korean medicine hospitals, acupuncture therapy was used. Among Western medicine outpatients, more than 50% of the therapeutics prescribed for acute migraine were simple analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The number of prescriptions for the prevention of episodic migraine increased from 13 600 cases (2010) to 20 546 cases (2018), representing the steepest increase in drug utilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Treatments frequently used in Western and Korean medicine hospitals and their frequency of use and costs were identified. The findings of this study can be used as a basis for relevant health policy decisions.