Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40721728›Full record

ArticleThe journal of headache and pain2025

Headache diagnosis in children and adolescents: validation of the Italian version of the HARDSHIP questionnaire.

Agnese Onofri, Raffaele Ornello, Chiara Rosignoli, Vittorio Trozzi, Michela Teresa Adipietro, Benedetta Germani, Martina D'Ambrosio, Caterina Cascione, Maria Elena Russo, Simone Fanì and 2 more

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in The journal of headache and pain, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Agnese OnofriDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy. agnese.onofri@univaq.it.
Raffaele OrnelloDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Chiara RosignoliDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Vittorio TrozziDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Michela Teresa AdipietroHeadache Center, SS Filippo e Nicola Hospital, Avezzano, L'Aquila, Italy.
Benedetta GermaniDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Martina D'AmbrosioDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Caterina CascioneDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Maria Elena RussoDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Simone FanìDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Roberta CiuffiniDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Simona SaccoDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHeadache disorders are common in children and adolescents, significantly affecting quality of life and academic performance. Despite their high prevalence, they remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. The Child and Adolescents HARDSHIP questionnaire, developed by the Global Campaign Against Headache, has been widely used in adult epidemiological studies but lacks validation in the Italian pediatric population.

methodsThe study was conducted within the Epidemiologic Registry of Child and Adolescents Headaches - Registro Epidemiologico delle Cefalee in età evolutiva (REPICEF), a population-based registry on pediatric headache epidemiology in L'Aquila, Italy. The Italian version of the HARDSHIP questionnaire was adapted using the TRAPD method, ensuring linguistic and conceptual accuracy. Validation was performed by comparing questionnaire-based diagnoses with clinical diagnoses attributed by expert neurologists assumed as gold standard. We computed the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values.

resultsOut of 858 screened children and adolescents, the first 535 (62.4%) were selected for the validation questionnaire. Based on the HARDSHIP questionnaire, the most common diagnoses were probable Migraine (pMig) in 175 (20.7%), probable Tension-Type Headache (pTTH) in 144 (16.7%), Undifferentiated Headache (UDH) in 105 (12.2%), Tension-Type Headache (TTH) in 86 (10.0%), migraine in 68 (7.9%) children and adolescents. The agreement between questionnaire-based and clinical diagnoses was for migraine k = 0.432, for TTH k = 0.327, for pMOH k = 0.214.

conclusionsThe validated Italian version of the HARDSHIP questionnaire provides a useful instrument for epidemiological research and for the improvement in diagnosis of pediatric headache disorders.

Indexed as

HeadacheHeadache DisordersAdolescentChildFemaleHumansItalyMaleRegistriesReproducibility of ResultsSensitivity and SpecificitySurveys and QuestionnairesEpidemiologyHARDSHIP questionnaireItalian validationPrevalencePrimary headacheSchool-aged children

Identifiers

PMID40721728
PMCPMC12302833

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.