Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ) and to determine the effects of earthquake experience on the perception in migraine patients.
Methods: The sample was composed of 62 outpatients, consisting of with migraine diagnosis who were in Erciş during earthquake (n=33) and who had never had any earthquake experience (n=29).The interview form, IPQ-R and Beck Depression Scale (BDS) were applied. The study was carried out on migraine patients whose mean age was 31 and who had been diagnosed since 7.8 years. Comparison of groups with earthquake experience (group1) and without experience (group 2) there were no difference in point of demographic findings and disease severity (p>0.05).
Results: In the part concerning the manifestations of the disease, the most frequently manifestations were found pain, headache and fatige. The test was determined to be reliable. Illness coherence and timeline (cyclic) subscale scores (p<0.05) and BDS score (z: -2.006, p<0.05)were significantly higher in group 1. Although an earthquake caused an increase in depression scores did not cause much change in the IPQ-R scores. Group1 understand disease better and realize of the cyclical nature of the disease. Other perception parameters of the disease were same in both groups.
Conclusion: A severe life event such as an earthquake did not much change IPQ-R scores in migraine patients. The results of this study demonstrated that IPQ could be used reliably in the Turkish migraine patients.