PSYCHIATRIC AND MEDICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DISABILITY IN PATIENTS WITH DIZZINESS

Dizziness is a common patient symptom and often remains medically unex plained even after an extensive work-up. The otologic disorders, psych iatric disorders, and functional disability of 75 patients presenting with dizziness to a community otolaryngology practice were assessed in 1991. The patients were classified according to the presence or absen ce of at least one current DSM-III-R psychiatric disorder and the pres ence or absence of a peripheral vestibular disorder. Decrements in men tal health and role functioning, and increases in bodily pain and hypo chondriacal focus were significantly associated with the presence of a psychiatric disorder and whether the etiology of dizziness was due to a peripheral vestibular dysfunction.