The prevalence of dizziness and its association with functional disability in a biracial community population.
BACKGROUND
Information regarding the prevalence of dizziness and its association with functional disability among African American and white residents from defined community populations is limited.


METHODS
A total of 6,158 persons 65 years and older (78.8% of age-eligible persons) completed in-home interviews that included three common measures of self-reported disability: the Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Scale, the Rosow-Breslau Functional Health Scale, and the Nagi Physical Disability Scale. A stratified random sample of 729 persons underwent a detailed evaluation that included questions on the frequency and severity of dizziness, which was defined as having an episode of dizziness or lightheadedness at least once a month.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of dizziness in this population was 9.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.2-12.0). It increased with age, from 6.6% in those 65-74 years old, to 11.6% in those 75-84 years old, and to 18.4% in those persons > or =85 years old. It was more common in women (odds ratio [OR] 2.03, 95% CI 0.99-4.19) but was not associated with race. After adjusting for age, sex, and race, dizziness was associated with greater disability on the Rosow-Breslau (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.18-4.46) and Nagi (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.48-4.36) measures but not on the Katz ADL Scale (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.64-2.20).


CONCLUSIONS
Dizziness is common among older persons and is associated with functional disability.
Aggarwal
N T
NT
Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University and Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. nervedocs@aol.com
Bennett
D A
DA
Bienias
J L
JL
Mendes de Leon
C F
CF
Morris
M C
MC
Evans
D A
DA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002641:Chicago; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014505:Urban Population; D014717:Vertigo / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*