Use of the headache impact test (HIT‐6) in general practice: relationship with quality of life and severity

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2004.00934.x
• Publication Date: 2005-02-03T23:20:40Z
• Authors: F. Nachit‐Ouinekh; J.‐F. Dartigues; P. Henry; J.‐P. Becg; G. Chastan; N. Lemaire; A. El Hasnaoui
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Neurologic Examination; Headache; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; 0302 clinical medicine; Predictive Value of Tests; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Sickness Impact Profile; Surveys and Questionnaires; Disease Progression; Quality of Life; Humans; Psychology; Female; France; Family Practice; Pain Measurement; Retrospective Studies

To assess the global impact of episodic headaches in patients consulting general practitioners (GPs) using the Headache Impact Test (HIT‐6) questionnaire, and to compare this with measures of headache severity and quality of life. A total of 2802 patients consulting 349 GPs participated to this cross‐sectional study. Data were collected on headache severity using the Migraine Severity (MIGSEV) scale, headache impact with the HIT‐6 and quality of life with the Qualité de Vie et Migraine (QVM) questionnaire. Diagnosis was assigned retrospectively according to the International Headache Society criteria. The association between the HIT‐6 scale and the other scales was determined from a Pearson's chi‐square test, an analysis of variance and Spearman correlation coefficients. Patients (2537) provided exploitable data. Six percent of the sample had little impact, 14% moderate, 14% substantial and 66% severe impact. The HIT‐6 scores were significantly different between diagnostic groups, being highest in the migraine group. The HIT‐6 score were well correlated with headache severity and QVM score. The HIT‐6 scale correlates, across different diagnostic groups of headache, with both headache severity and with quality of life.