Are falls a good predictor of health-related quality of life in dizzy elderly?

Abstract

Problem: To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) in dizzy elderly and to compare the QOL of dizzy elderly who presented after fall(s) in the last 12 months with those who did not. Methods: Fifty elderly patients suffering from dizziness due to vestibular dysfunction were submitted to the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). Factor analysis was performed according to the main answer patterns for the DHI. Data concerning age, education, gender, self-perception of health, number of referred diseases, marital status, main complaint, and presence of fall(s) in the last year were analyzed in accordance to the Wilks Lambda test discriminating analysis. Results: Thirteen patients were male and 37 were female. The average age was 70.5. Twenty-six patients were fallers and 24 nonfallers. The dizzy elderly presented high scores at the DHI. The scores of physical, emotional, and functional aspects were significantly greater for the group of fallers ( P < 0.001). The factor analysis could separate the following 7 factors: impairment in instrumental activities of daily living, fear and insecurity, humor changes, perception about someone else’s judgment, head movements, reading and concentration, and environmental risks. The impairment in instrumental activities was the most relevant factor related to QOL. The discriminating analysis distinguished 86.00% of the studied population, related to their behavior to answer the questionnaire. The Wilks’ Lambda coefficients results showed significant difference between the 2 groups related to the presence of falls, which was the only discriminating factor among the dizzy elderly. Conclusion: Dizzy elderly’s QOL is handicapped. The factor of impairment in instrumental activities was the most important one that characterized QOL in dizzy elderly. The QOL in dizzy elderly fallers was worse than that of dizzy elderly nonfallers. The dizzy elderly fallers had behavior distinct from those nonfallers when answering to the DHI. Significance: Falls are correlated with worse quality of life in dizzy elderly. Support: None reported.