cqvip:Background.- Many strategies are available to treat and prevent migraine and chronic daily headache (CDH). Broadly these strategies can be divided into four groups, including (i) health care consultations, (ii) medication and alternativ e remedies, (iii) general (acute and prophylactic) strategies, and (iv) social s upport. Objective.- This study aimed to compare headache management between mig raine (MO), migraine with aura (MA), and those with CDH over the last 12 months. Design.- A postal questionnaire was sent to 887 members of the Migraine Action Association (MAA). The response rate was 60.5% (n=537), and 438 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Migra ine (n=117) and MA (n=239) patients were classed according to the International Headache Society (IHS). CDH (n=82) was diagnosed when respondents had 15 or more headache days per month. Descriptive tests, analysis of variances (ANOVAs), χ 2, and Kruskal- Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis (P < .05). Resu lts.- The three groups did not differ in age, gender, ethnicity, level of educa tion, and employment status. Significant differences in management strategies be tween the groups were found in the number of respondents who had consulted heada che specialists (P=.002) and neurologists (P=.004), the number and types of acut e medications (eg, triptans, P=.002), the use of antidepressants (P=.004), and s ome acute and prophylactic avoidance techniques. Although, no significant differ ences between the groups were found in the use of other health professionals (eg , GP), alternative health professionals, general acute management, and the use o f social support, they all actively used these strategies. Conclusions.- The re spondents of this study were active users of management strategies that are base d on a combination of health care consultations, medication and alternative reme dies, general management, and social support. In comparison to previous findings , the respondents in this study frequently reported higher use of management str ategies (such as the use of triptans), which may be related to this group of pat ients being better informed about headache management than those with headache w ithin the general population. Thus, the findings may not be representative for t he general population, but they give an indication of the influence and importan ce of headache- related education carried out by patient organizations such as the MAA.
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