gms | German Medical Science

Background: Dizziness has a major impact on the patients’ functioning, activities and participation. The ICF Core Set for vertigo [1] covers patient-relevant outcomes and serves as framework for health professionals to guide assessment and treatment. However, studies on vocational consequences of dizziness are scarce, albeit long-term sickness absentees with dizziness may be more likely to obtain a disability pension [2].

Aim: Our aim was to investigate the impact of dizziness-associated symptoms and ICF components on work disability in patients with dizziness.

Method: Patients with dizziness (age 18–65), examined at an otorhinolaryngology clinic, took part in semi-structured interviews (being tape-recorded) on impairments at work due to dizziness. The interviews were transcribed and encoded using the ICF Core Set for vertigo. To assess dizziness-associated symptoms we used the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS). To determine predictors for work disability, we used logistic regression analysis.

Results/findings: We included 98 patients (age 50.1, 53.5% female, 58.2% disabled). Logistic regression revealed that age (p=0.024), DHI score (p<0.001) and number of reported limitations in activities and participation (p=0.001) were significant predictors of work disability, with odds ratios of 0.928, 0.915 and 0.514 respectively. We found no impact on work disability regarding gender, VSS score and number of reported functional limitations.

Discussion and conclusions: Patients that scored higher on the DHI and reported more limitations in activities are more likely to experience work disability due to dizziness. Assessment and treatment of these patients should focus rather on impaired activities than on functional impairments.