The effects of Ménière's disorder on the patient's significant others.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of their partners' MD on the significant others of the patients.


METHODS
Open-ended questionnaire.


METHODS
Significant others of members of the Finnish Ménière's Federation.


RESULTS
The predominant responses concerned effects on their lives and lifestyle--participation restrictions (effects on personal and community life)--and on personal contextual factors (uncertainty of life). In contrast they fail to list such effects of the patients, focussing rather on the patients' symptoms. Five percent of the responses given entailed positive experiences.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant others of patients with MD listed a wide range of effects of their partner's condition on them. We encourage doctors and therapists to include the significant others in the rehabilitation process to enable them to understand the patient's condition, to help the significant other, and so better support the patients concerned.
Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Dafydd
D
Stephens
Ilmari
I
Pyykkö
Erna
E
Kentala
Hilla
H
Levo
Jyrki
J
Rasku
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires