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The development of the ICF vestibular environmental scale
Susan L Whitney1,2, Ahmad Alghadir2, Alia Alghwiri3
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Summary
Environmental triggers like quick movements and crowds significantly worsen dizziness for people with vestibular disorders. Understanding these triggers can improve cross-cultural patient communication and care.
Area of Science:
- Vestibular Disorders
- Environmental Health
- Rehabilitation
Background:
- Individuals with vestibular disorders often experience symptom exacerbation due to environmental factors.
- Identifying common environmental triggers is crucial for managing dizziness and balance issues.
- The International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) provides a framework for understanding these environmental influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe common environmental triggers for dizziness in individuals with balance and vestibular disorders.
- To utilize the World Health Organization's ICF framework to categorize these environmental triggers.
- To assess the impact of environmental triggers on symptom severity and psychogenic vertigo.
Main Methods:
- A multi-center, cross-sectional study involving 381 participants with vestibular disorders across four international sites.
- Development and application of a 9-item Vestibular Environmental Scale, derived from ICF items.
- Comparison of environmental trigger data with Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) scores and assessment of psychogenic vertigo predictors.
Main Results:
- The most frequently reported environmental triggers were 'quick movements in the vicinity' (65%), 'crowds' (45%), and 'building design' (42%).
- 'Crowds' emerged as a positive predictor of psychogenic vertigo, while 'food' and 'light' were negative predictors.
- A significant positive correlation was found between the number of reported environmental triggers and DHI scores (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
- Environmental triggers significantly impact dizziness symptoms in individuals with balance and vestibular disorders across diverse cultural settings.
- The ICF framework offers a valuable tool for standardizing the description and cross-cultural comparison of environmental triggers.
- Understanding these triggers can enhance patient-provider communication and inform tailored management strategies for vestibular disorders.
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