Purpose of the Questionnaire

The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information from individuals suffering from some type of headache in order to classify it as tension-type headache, migraine, or mixed-type headache based on the criteria established by the International Headache Society (1998). The aim is to use it as a supportive tool in cases where no diagnosis is available from a specialist physician.

Questionnaire Analysis

This specific questionnaire was developed by Göbel in 1994. Due to its nature, it cannot be standardized against norms. Following a brief presentation of tension-type headache and migraine characteristics, the patient answers closed-ended questions, mostly in “Yes” or “No” format, divided into two categories.

Question Scoring

The questionnaire includes a total of 26 questions, 13 for each category—migraine and tension-type headache. Based on the responses, the headache is classified into one of three categories: tension-type headache, migraine, or mixed-type headache.

Validity of the Questionnaire

Based on the data collected so far, the results appear to correspond closely with diagnoses provided by specialist physicians. However, data collection is still ongoing.

Reliability of the Questionnaire

The reliability of the questionnaire has not yet been fully evaluated and remains under investigation. Nevertheless, the Greek adaptation retains its full validity and has been aligned with the revised criteria of the International Headache Society (2001).

References

Göbel, H. (1994). Paper‐pencil tests for retrospective and prospective evaluation of primary headaches on the basis of the IHS criteria. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 34(10), 564–568.
Melchart, D., Hager, S., Hager, U., Liao, J., Weidenhammer, W., & Linde, K. (2004). Treatment of patients with chronic headaches in a hospital for traditional Chinese medicine in Germany: A randomised, waiting list controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 12(2–3), 71–78.