Quantitative evaluation of dizziness characteristics and impact on quality of life.

Patients attending an outpatient clinic with the complaint of dizziness were given a set of five items to rank the magnitude of the frequency and severity of their dizziness and the impact of dizziness on their quality of life. They were given instruments to evaluate their degree of anxiety and depression. The impact of frequency and severity on the patients' daily activities, on the quality of life, and on the fear of becoming dizzy was self-rated by the patient. The score on quality of life was compared with that provided by the physician in a blind questionnaire. The items that were developed addressed the physical, functional, and emotional impact of dizziness and can be considered promising for the evaluation of the patients' degree of overall impairment.