QUALITY-OF-LIFE ASSESSMENT IN PATIENTS WITH HEADACHE

Although headache is the most common pain complaint seen by primary ca re physicians, the measurement of quality of life in patients with hea dache is in its earliest stages. Most of the research has been publish ed within the past 2 years, much of it only in abstract form. Quality- of-life data derived from the Medical Outcomes Study instrument (SF-20 ) demonstrate that chronic headache disorders are associated with sign ificant limitations in all 6 health categories of patient well-being a nd functioning. The outcomes profile for each of the common benign hea dache disorders appear to be unique for the specific headache diagnosi s. Migraine is primarily associated with an impairment in role (work) functioning. Chronic tension-type headache is associated with a marked impairment in mental health and a generalised impairment in functioni ng. Cluster headache is associated with the greatest amount of pain, b ut with little impairment in physical functioning. The economic toll o f recurrent headache is considerable. Lost productivity in the US due to migraine is estimated at $US6.5 to 17.2 billion per year. Chronic h eadache disorders cause significantly more morbidity, impairment of fu nction, and economic loss than has previously been recognised.