A new instrument to assess the long-term quality of life effects from migraine: development and psychometric testing of the MSQOL

Quality of life is important to persons experiencing migraine. This study discusses the development of a migraine-specific quality-of-life measure (MSQOL). Participants, who included migraineurs from both tertiary care centers and the community, were screened using the International Headache Society migraine criteria prior to enrollment. Internal consistency of the MSQOL was high (alpha 0.92). Reproducibility over an average of 24 days was high (intraclass correlation 0.90). Construct validity was determined by convergent validity and known groups validity. The MSQOL was compared to two other frequently used health status questionnaires; results indicate that the MSQOL more closely resembles well-being than functional status. Results also indicate that migraineurs with more symptoms, medical appointments per year to treat migraines, and migraine episodes per year have a significantly worse quality of life. The MSQOL proved valid and reliable as a self-administered measure and will be a useful tool in clinical migraine research. The information gained from its use in the clinical environment should provide important additional information about the impact of migraine on quality of life and the potential benefits of therapeutic interventions.