[Multivariate analysis of everyday handicap of patients with dizziness]

A preliminary questionnaire consisting of 30 questions was developed to evaluate handicaps in everyday life for 105 patients with dizziness. Factor analysis divided the questions into 5 principal factors of handicap due to dizziness: 1) disturbance of social activity, 2) body motion precipitating dizziness, 3) limitation of physical activity, 4) emotional disturbance, and 5) disturbance of interpersonal communications. The score of each factor was calculated as the sum of the scores of three principal questions in the corresponding factor. There was no contribution of clinical diagnosis, patient's age or gender, or duration of the disease to the score of each factor. Thus, it is concluded that the reorganized questionnaire which consists of three principal questions in 5 factors can be used for evaluating dizziness handicaps in everyday life. The score of the emotional factor in patients with Meniere's disease was higher than that for other vestibular disease. The score of the body motion factor in patients with vestibular neuronitis was higher than that for vertebro-basilar artery insufficiency. Thus, the re-organized questionnaire can also be used for evaluating the contribution of each factor to dizziness handicaps in everyday life.