Objective: In 1996, we developed an in-hospital vestibular-rehabilitation program for patients with intractable dizziness and have since reported improvements in the quality of life of the rehabilitated patients. This study was aimed at determining the relationship of depression and the state of anxiety to improvement of the quality of life.
Methods: The subjects were 100 patients with intractable dizziness, and all were informed that hospitalization was a prerequisite for participation in our program. On admission, the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), State-trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Short Form 8 Health Survey (SF-8) were used to evaluate the state of anxiety, depression and the quality of life, respectively. The SF-8 was readministered after 4 weeks.
Results: Depression was correlated with the trait of anxiety (R=0.57) as well as with the state of anxiety (R=0.32). Patients were divided into groups depending on their SDS scores. Both the physical component summary (PCS-8) and mental component summary (MCS-8) were equally deteriorated in all patients before admission. The MCS-8 scores were significantly lower in patients with severe depression. After admission, the PCS-8 and the MCS-8 scores improved, but not in the patients with severe depression.
Conclusion: Improvement in the quality of life of rehabilitated patients is affected by depression and the state of anxiety. Patients with severe depression and anxiety may require not only physical intervention through our rehabilitation program, but also psychological intervention.