Impact of headache on quality of life in a general population survey in France (GRIM2000 study)

Objectives.-The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of headache on health-related quality of life in a nationwide sample of the French general population using a disease-specific measure, the Qualite de Vie et Migraine (QVM), to compare quality of life in subjects reporting different headache to types, and to evaluate the relationship between quality of life and severity, frequency, associated disability, and treatment responsiveness of headaches. Methods.-The QVM questionnaire was included within a large epidemiological survey of 1486 headache sufferers. Diagnosis was assigned retrospectively using an algorithm based on the International Headache Society classification. Headache severity was assessed with the MIGSEV scale and disability with the MIDAS scale. Results.-The mean global QVM score in the sample was 80.2. Quality of life was poorer in subjects with chronic daily headache (QVM score: 66.2) than in those with migraine (QVM score: 76.7), while those with other forms of episodic headache had the best quality of life (QVM score: 91.7). Quality-of-life scores were correlated with frequency, severity, disability, and treatment resistance of headaches (P < .001). Conclusion.-The QVM scale is a sensitive tool to measure health-related quality of life in headache sufferers in the general population.