HIT-6

The Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) is a 6-item self-report questionnaire measuring the adverse impact of headaches on social functioning, role functioning, vitality, cognitive functioning, and psychological distress. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (never to always), with total scores ranging from 36 to 78. Developed by a collaboration between QualityMetric and GlaxoSmithKline, the HIT-6 was derived from a larger 54-item bank using item response theory. It is used in psilocybin and LSD research for cluster headache and migraine, including studies at Yale University examining psilocybin’s effects on cluster headache frequency and severity. The HIT-6 captures headache burden beyond mere pain intensity, making it a comprehensive patient-centered outcome measure for headache disorders.