Living with dizziness: an explorative study

Abstract

A qualitative study was conducted for the purpose of exploring how patients with dizziness manage their daily living. Ten patients with history of dizziness were recruited from the out‐patient clinic, Department of Audiology, in a hospital in Stockholm. Collection and analysis of data were inspired by the method of grounded theory. Four themes were developed that described the experience of living with dizziness: vulnerable reactions, affirmation and non‐affirmation, finding ways to carry on daily living, and expressing the need for health care support. These themes seem to conceptualize these patients' difficulties and needs in relationship to living with dizziness and, given the small sample, have implications for nursing practice and provide a framework for a broader study.

Self-efficacy in Activities of daily living and symptom management in people with dizziness: a focus group study

“…Some individuals reported feeling isolated because of an abundance of avoidance behaviours. This observation agrees with other studies on disability in which people with dizziness often avoid different activities, environments and situations that are perceived as difficult and that increase symptom burden [44,45].…”

“…Other studies on people with dizziness contain descriptions of how these people feel vulnerable when walking among strangers because of fear of being seen as drunk as the result of an unsteady gait [44,46]. This finding concurs with results from our study showing that all focus groups and the individual interview contained accounts of how the participants' self-efficacy decreased in contexts where they felt nervous about being seen as drunk.…”

“…They also described a low self-efficacy for full-time work, working at the same speed and with the same efficiency as before they became dizzy. This finding is in line with another qualitative study in which participants described how changing work tasks, flexible working hours, understanding colleagues and employer, were prerequisites for a continued successful work life [44]. In a crosssectional study investigating the impact of dizziness in people of working age, 40% of those who had symptoms of dizziness had occupational difficulties [45].…”

Feasibility and Effects of a Nursing Intervention for Patients with Peripheral Vestibular Disorders

“…However, the effectiveness of individualized nursing interventions is not clearly proven and it is suggested that they be tested in a variety of contexts with patient outcomes in focus, and not only utilization of health care services, clinical status, or adherence to treatment (Frich, 2003;Suhonen et al, 2008). Patients with peripheral vestibular disorders have reported that they felt very vulnerable and emphasized the importance of affirmation from health care professionals (Mendel, L€ utz en, Bergenius, & Bj€ orvell, 1997). The patients expressed needs for information, for practical advice on how to adapt to this new life situation, and for continuity in care (Mendel et al, 1997).…”

“…Patients with peripheral vestibular disorders have reported that they felt very vulnerable and emphasized the importance of affirmation from health care professionals (Mendel, L€ utz en, Bergenius, & Bj€ orvell, 1997). The patients expressed needs for information, for practical advice on how to adapt to this new life situation, and for continuity in care (Mendel et al, 1997). From this knowledge, we developed a comprehensive interdisciplinary intervention program that combines an educationally structured program with individualized nursing support.…”