Take the headache test
Sometimes it’s good just to sit down and think through exactly what impact headaches are having on your life. If you just go on from day to day, you sometimes come to forget or ignore what’s really going on, and what can be done about it.
One tool that can be useful is the Headache Impact Test (HIT). HIT was developed by QualityMetric Incorporated, a company that specializes in developing medical testing tools. The short test not only helps you think through your symptoms and treatment, but also gives you a starting point for talking to your doctor. In fact, the test is actively used by many medical clinics.
The quiz can be done online, and will probably take you less than 5 minutes. You need to do a quick easy and free registration, so that you can keep track of your results over time. I just tried it myself. At first I found the test a little too subjective (although it was probably designed that way on purpose). But when I opted to answer the extra 10 questions it seemed to even out a bit.
So why not take it right now? Just click the link below:
Headache Impact Test
By the way, if you haven’t seen a doctor recently about your headaches, or if you’ve never seen a doctor, all the more reason to do the quiz now and then take the results to a doctor in your area. Just do it!
By the way, in case you’re curious, according to the tests headaches have a severe impact on my life. But as we always say around here, it’s time to fight back…
Gordon
31 January 2006 @ 7:40 am
Thank you for mentioning the Headache Impact Test! This survey was developed to capture the effect of headache and its treatment on an individual’s functional status and well-being. If anyone would like more information regarding the development and scientific validity of the Headache Information test, or if you are interested in learing more about Patient-reported outcomes in general, please feel free to visit the following links:
General Information regarding the development of the Headache Impact test
Purchase a copy of The Practical Assessment of Headache Impact Using Item Response Theory and Computerized Adaptive Testing
Article on the value of Patient-reported Outcomes in Health Management