From illness perceptions to illness reality? Perceived consequences and emotional representations relate to handicap in patients with vertigo and dizziness.

Wolf, Johannes; Sattel, Heribert; Limburg, Karina; Lahmann, Claas

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.109934

journal article

Document type:: Article; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Author(s):: Wolf, Johannes; Sattel, Heribert; Limburg, Karina; Lahmann, Claas
Title:: From illness perceptions to illness reality? Perceived consequences and emotional representations relate to handicap in patients with vertigo and dizziness.
Abstract:: OBJECTIVE: Vertigo and dizziness (VD) are frequent symptoms that can occur due to various structural pathologies or due to functional impairment. Independent of their aetiology, the symptoms are often associated with physical and psychological burden which manifests in severe handicap in more than half of the patients. It is suggested that illness perceptions, the patients' cognitive and emotional concept of their disease, most likely impact the degree of handicap. For patients with VD, however, this relation of illness perceptions and handicap is so far not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the relation of illness perceptions and handicap for patients with VD. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study design, n = 419 patients with VD were examined (53.7% female, age 53.5 ± 15.5 years). Participants underwent neurological and psychiatric examinations as well as a comprehensive assessment using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Illness perceptions, specifically perceived consequences and emotional representations showed a moderate correlation with VD related handicap (r(419) = 0.62, p < .001). Our regression model including symptom severity, psychiatric comorbidity, and aspects of cognitive and emotional illness perceptions accounted for 52% of the variance in VD related handicap. In a moderation analysis, this relation did not differ significantly in patients with functional VD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study provide evidence for the relevance of illness perceptions to handicap in patients with VD symptoms.
Journal title abbreviation:: J Psychosom Res
Year:: 2020
Journal volume:: 130
Fulltext / DOI:: doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.109934
Pubmed ID:: http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31972479
Print-ISSN:: 0022-3999
TUM Institution:: Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie
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mediaTUM Gesamtbestand Einrichtungen Schools TUM School of Medicine and Health Departments Clinical Medicine Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie (Prof. Henningsen)2020