Abstract:

In Slovakia, a small post-communist country in the heart of Europe, around 600,000 inhabitants currently suffer from migraines, yet only 36,000 of them are accurately diagnosed by experts. Due to its high prevalence and noticeable underdiagnosis, migraine in Slovakia is considered a "forgotten epidemic" (Forbes, 2023). This contribution examines the path of self-education about migraines among a group of women – mothers on maternity leave, which in Slovakia extends up to the age of three for the child. The research section focuses on the sources of information and the forms of information about migraines, which co-determine the knowledge base of what women – mothers with young children in home care – know about migraines.

Utilizing a research method of structured interviews with a group of 26 women on maternity leave, we present the identification and analysis of:
1) the main sources of information from which women – mothers on maternity leave learn about migraines and relief methods for migraines and
2) the forms of knowledge acquired in the context of self-education.

Research findings, obtained from the analysis of interviews with mothers, highlight the need for:
1) greater participation and more active involvement of doctors and therapists in online communities,
2) support for the creation of specialized online advisory services focusing on parental well-being, and
3) the implementation of moderated online discussions with the possibility of feedback between experts and patients.

Keywords:

Self-education, women–mothers, migraine, well-being, knowledge, coping.