Migraine therapy: development and testing of a patient preference questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and test a patient preference questionnaire in migraine.


METHODS
A user-friendly, self-administered questionnaire was developed to assess the relative importance of aspects of migraine therapy to patients. It was tested in a convenience sample of 66 migraineurs. The questionnaire has five sections: patient preference, migraine history, demographics, usual behavior during an attack, and migraine impact on cognition and functionality. It employs a special reverse-ranking technique to quantify preferences.


RESULTS
Sixty-six migraineurs participated: 86% were women, 53% had not consulted their doctor about migraine in the previous year; and only 51% took prescribed medication, the majority (52%) at the start of a migraine. "A medication that can be taken any time during a migraine attack" was ranked most important by 20% of the migraineurs, one that decreases pain from the unbearable level in 30 minutes by 17%, and one that relieves pain completely within 2 hours by 15%. Not being able to think or concentrate with severe symptoms was reported by 71%. Optional activities were impeded by migraine in 83% of subjects, but required activities in only 60%.


CONCLUSIONS
The patient preference questionnaire is readily completed by subjects and reveals that the dimensions of relief preferred by patients can be addressed by a self-report questionnaire.
Caro
G
G
Caro Research, Montreal, Quebec.
Caro
J J
JJ
O'Brien
J A
JA
Anton
S
S
Jackson
J
J
D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000700:Analgesics