title: Anxiety among individuals with visual vertigo and vestibulopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Visual vertigo (VV) is a type of dizziness triggered by visual stimuli. Despite a high incidence, its relationship with anxiety is not well-defined or understood. This study evaluated anxiety levels in subjects with VV compared to vestibulopathic subjects without VV and healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study to evaluate anxiety among individuals with VV was conducted twice. The first study included 72 participants (66 to 83 years of age) from senior residential centers. The second included 31 participants from a vestibular rehabilitation program (age range 35-82 years). Study 1 also used the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale and study 2 the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects were classified as VV positive (27 in study 1, 10 in study 2) or vestibulopathic without VV (30 in study 1, 11 in study 2) based on Head Impulse or Dynamic Visual Acuity Tests and the Dizziness Questionnaire. The remaining were age-matched healthy controls. The outcome of each study demonstrated significantly higher anxiety levels (p = 0.0001) in the VV group compared to the other groups. The results of the ABC test demonstrated that subjects in the VV group had significantly lower self-confidence (p = 0.001) than those in the Vest and Cont groups and performed fewer balance-related activities of daily life. DHI results showed that VV group expressed higher (p < 0.001) mean scores for self-perceived feelings of dizziness and imbalance (54%), compared to the Vest (9%) and Cont groups (1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety related to VV requires special attention when assessing and managing vestibulopathy, regardless of patient age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety is a characteristic of subjects with visual vertigo (VV) and vestibulopathy. Anxiety in subjects with VV is not related to age. VV should be considered when subjects with anxiety complain of imbalance. Anxiety and vestibulopathy are often interrelated and should be considered in diagnostic evaluations.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy , University of Haifa , Haifa , Israel .|b The Israeli Center for Treating Dizziness and Balance Disorders , Ra'anana , Israel .
authors.forename: Oz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zur
authors.affiliation: c Psychosomatic Unit, Geha Medical Center , Petach Tikva , Israel .|d Sackler Faculty of Medicine , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .
authors.forename: Gila
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schoen
authors.affiliation: e Physical Therapy Services, Flieman Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital , Haifa , Israel .
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.affiliation: f Department of Geriatrics , Meir Medical Center , Kfar Saba , Israel .
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.affiliation: d Sackler Faculty of Medicine , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .|f Department of Geriatrics , Meir Medical Center , Kfar Saba , Israel .
authors.forename: Yitshal
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.affiliation: g Feil/Oberfeld/CRIR Research Centre, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital , Laval , Quebec , Canada , and.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dannenbaum
authors.affiliation: g Feil/Oberfeld/CRIR Research Centre, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital , Laval , Quebec , Canada , and.|h School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020338:Vestibular Neuronitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D014796:Visual Perception
keywords: Anxiety; balance; falls; older adult; visual vertigo and vestibulopathy