Date of Award

2001

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Advisor

Thomas Mohr

Keywords

Dizziness; Vestibular Diseases -- rehabilitation

Abstract

Vertigo, which may be caused by a variety of problems, is a significant symptom in patients with vestibular disorders. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory is a disease-specific questionnaire used to measure how vertigo affects an individual's quality-of-life. This study assessed patient outcomes following vestibular rehabilitation, using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. Forty-nine former patients of a vestibular rehabilitation program participated in a phone survey following vestibular rehabilitation. Subjects answered the Dizziness Handicap Inventory based on how they . felt before and after they had received physical therapy intervention. Patient outcomes were assessed by comparing Dizziness Handicap Inventory total and sub-scores before and after physical therapy intervention using the Sign test at the .05 alpha level. Statistically significant improvements in Dizziness Handicap Inventory total and sub-scores were determined following vestibular rehabilitation. A significant difference in score change was determined in 57% of the patients. The significant improvement in scores demonstrated that following vestibular rehabilitation, patient perceived outcomes improved. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory demonstrated to be useful to assess patient outcomes and can assist in making treatment goals and outcomes more patient focused and measurable.

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