ObjectiveTo assess the psychometric properties of a Norwegian translation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS‐11) for use in populations of headache, Parkinson's disease (PD), and healthy controls.Materials and MethodsThe BIS‐11 was forward and backward translated by native speakers of both Norwegian and English to give Norwegian BIS‐11 (Nor‐BIS‐11). A convenience sample (110 subjects) of healthy controls (47), PD patients (43), and chronic headache patients (20) (the latter two recruited from a Neurology outpatient clinic), were asked to complete the scale (a subset twice for test–retest). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were done for a single‐factor model, the original three‐factor model and a two‐factor model. Test–retest results were analyzed using the Bland–Altman approach.ResultsThe Nor‐BIS‐11 scale showed good utility and acceptability as well as good test–retest reliability in this sample. Cronbach's α was .68, test–retest bias was −0.73, Cohen's δ = −.134, and limits of agreement were −11.48 to 10.01. The factor structure was found to fit better with a two‐factor model than with the original model with three factors. The model fit indices indicated a moderate fit.ConclusionsThe Nor‐BIS‐11 scale is acceptable and reliable to use in Parkinson's disease patients, chronic headache patients, and healthy controls. The results should be interpreted in a two‐factor model but with caution due to low construct validity. External validity needs to be further tested.

In Norway, headache was strongly associated with use of over-the-counter analgesics, for other somatic pain prescription analgesics were equally common. Between 1998 and 2012 headache and related analgesic consumption was reduced and other somatic pain increased. Making over-the-counter analgesics available outside pharmacies in 2003 did not increase the self-reported intake.