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Physical functioning in older persons with dizziness: a population-based study

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Abstract

Background

Dizziness is one of the most prevalent symptoms in old age and tends to increase with age.

Aims

To report physical functioning, health-related aspects and gender differences in elderly persons with and without dizziness in a population-based sample of 75-year-olds.

Methods

A cross-sectional sample of 75-year-olds from Gothenburg, Sweden (n = 675, 398 women and 277 men) was examined by means of questionnaires and functional tests. The questions concerned dizziness/imbalance, physical activity level, walking habits, falls efficacy, number of falls, subjective health or general fatigue and medication. The tests included were self-selected and maximum gait speed, stair climbing capacity, one leg stance and grip strength.

Results

More women than men reported dizziness/imbalance (40 vs 30 %, p < 0.001). Persons with dizziness, compared to those without dizziness, less often regularly exercised at a moderate intensity level (summer: 62 vs 74 %, p < 0.001; winter: 41 vs 51 %, p < 0.001), less often took a daily walk (p < 0.05), had lower scores on the FES(S) (p < 0.001), more often reported general fatigue (p < 0.001), more often had fallen in the previous year (40 vs 23 %, p < 0.001) and had a higher intake of medical drugs (4.6 vs 3.3, p < 0.001). They also performed worse regarding gait speed, stair climbing and one leg stance (p < 0.001), but there was no difference in grip strength.

Conclusion

Older persons with dizziness are less physically active, have worse lower extremity function, are more often fallers and report lower self-rated health than persons without dizziness.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Research and Development Council for Southern Gothenburg and Bohuslän. We are very grateful to the persons who agreed to participate in this study. The authors also thank Valter Sundh for providing statistical support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Vita stråket 13, 413 62, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Lena Kollén

  2. Division of Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Helena Hörder

  3. School of Health Sciences Örebro University, Audiological Research Centre, Örebro University Hospital, Institute for Disability Research, Örebro, Sweden

    Claes Möller

  4. Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Kerstin Frändin

Authors
  1. Lena Kollén
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  2. Helena Hörder
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  3. Claes Möller
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  4. Kerstin Frändin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lena Kollén.

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The authors have no conflicts interest.

Statement of human and animal rights

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 declaration of Helsinki. Procedures performed in this study did not involve animals.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Kollén, L., Hörder, H., Möller, C. et al. Physical functioning in older persons with dizziness: a population-based study. Aging Clin Exp Res 29, 197–205 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-016-0567-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-016-0567-9

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