Publication

Relation of anxiety and other psychometric measures, balance deficits, impaired quality of life, and perceived state of health to dizziness handicap inventory scores for patients with dizziness

Journal Paper/Review - Jun 26, 2020

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Schmid D, Allum J, Sleptsova M, Welge-Lüssen A, Schaefert R, Meinlschmidt G, Langewitz W. Relation of anxiety and other psychometric measures, balance deficits, impaired quality of life, and perceived state of health to dizziness handicap inventory scores for patients with dizziness. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2020; 18:204.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Health Qual Life Outcomes 2020; 18
Publication Date
Jun 26, 2020
Issn Electronic
1477-7525
Pages
204
Brief description/objective

BACKGROUND
An important question influencing therapy for dizziness is whether the strengths of the relationships of emotional and functional aspects of dizziness to 1) anxiety and other mental states, 2) perceived state of health (SoH) and quality of life (QoL) are different in patients with and without normal balance control. We attempted to answer this question by examining these dimensions' regression strengths with Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) scores.

METHODS
We divided 40 patients receiving group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and vestibular rehabilitation for dizziness, into 2 groups: dizziness only (DO) and normal balance control; dizziness and a quantified balance deficit (QBD). Group-wise, we first performed stepwise multivariate regression analysis relating total DHI scores with Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) sub-scores obtained pre- and post-therapy. Then, regression analysis was expanded to include SoH, QoL, and balance scores. Finally, we performed regressions with DHI sub-scores.

RESULTS
In both groups, the BSI phobic anxiety state score was selected first in the multivariate regression analysis. In the DO group, obsessiveness/compulsiveness was also selected. The correlation coefficient, R, was 0.74 and 0.55 for the DO and QBD groups, respectively. When QoL and SoH scores were included, R values increased to 0.86 and 0.74, explaining in total 74, and 55% of the DHI variance for DO and QBD groups, respectively. Correlations with balance scores were not significant (R ≤ 0.21). The psychometric scores selected showed the strongest correlations with emotional DHI sub-scores, and perceived QoL and SoH scores with functional DHI sub-scores.

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that reducing phobic anxiety and obsessiveness/compulsiveness during CBT may improve emotional aspects of dizziness and targeting perceived SoH and QoL may improve functional aspects of dizziness for those with and without normal balance control.