Health measurement instruments in patients with vertigo

OBJECTIVE
Compare disability and handicap in patients with dizziness by means of two questionnaires.

STUDY DESIGN
Prospective study.

PATIENTS
337 patients seen for non-acute dizziness from peripheral or central origin in a tertiary referral setting.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Spanish version of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory test and UCLA-Dizziness Questionnaire after transcultural adaptation following the method of translation-back-translation.

RESULTS
We obtained a good correlation between the frequency of dizzy spells and quality of health as perceived by the patient; also there was good correlation between the intensity of each spell and limitation for performance of daily activities. Quality of life is mainly related to handicap in these patients.

CONCLUSION
Vertigo, as a non-fatal health outcome, can be studied following the two main conceptual frameworks of Impairment, Disabilities and Handicap and Health-Related Quality of Life.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO  Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp. 2000 Nov-Dec;51(8):677-85