Health-related quality of life aspects in patients with vestibular disorders

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe issues regarding the quality of life in a group of patients (n=60) suffering from vestibular disorders and their self -rated disease, specific symptoms, disability and general functioning in everyday life, using two different self-rated instruments: the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) questionnaire and the Vestibular Activities of Daily Living Scale (VADL) questionnaire. The results showed that the physical aspects (DHI average scale score 1.84) of dizziness mostly influenced the quality of life, followed by functional aspects (DHI average scale score 1.76) and by the emotional ones (DHI average scale score 1.35). The worst functional impairment rated by the patients from our data are in the psycho-social area such as the feeling of a restricted situation and anxiety about the dizziness and symptoms’ consequence, which leads to avoidance of many activities like reading and being at high altitude. Physically, our patients were most affected by the quick movements of the head, by bending over and by looking down. Conclusions. Our results revealed that from emotional point of view the patients presented frustration; impaired concentration and the feeling of depression. However, several impairments in daily life were not related to the disease itself. Dizziness is common in all age groups and seems to have a significant impact on an individual's well being. Self-rated questions are an easy and inexpensive tool to identify people in need of skilled clinical examinations.