Population epidemiological study on the prevalence of
               dizziness in the city of São Paulo

Bittar, Roseli Saraiva Moreira; Oiticica, Jeanne; Bottino, Marco Aurélio; Ganança, Fernando Freitas; Dimitrov, Riva

doi:10.5935/1808-8694.20130127

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Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

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Original Articles • Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 79 (6) • Nov-Dec 2013 • https://doi.org/10.5935/1808-8694.20130127 copy

Population epidemiological study on the prevalence of dizziness in the city of São Paulo

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

The epidemiology of dizziness is essential in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE:

To establish the prevalence of dizziness in the adult population of São Paulo, its clinical characteristics and level of discomfort.

METHOD:

A prospective cross-sectional study ran from April to October of 2012 by a field questionnaire, totaling 1,960 interviews. The predictor variables assessed were age, gender, type of dizziness and the dizziness disability index. The statistical tools used to assess the significance between variables were the chi-square test, Student's t-test and logistic regression. We used a 95% confidence interval for estimated values.

RESULTS:

The prevalence of dizziness in the city of São Paulo was established at 42%. We found two peak of complaints, 49% in the range of 46-55 years and 44% in the elderly. Vestibular-related dizziness was estimated to affect 8.3% of the population, mainly women (p < 0.001). The symptoms caused disability in 27% of symptomatic interviewees and it is more bothersome to females (p < 0.001), who more frequently seek medical care (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

The prevalence of dizziness in São Paulo was found to be 42%. It affects daily activities in 67% of symptomatic patients, but only 46% of them seek medical help.

dizziness; epidemiology; prevalence

Areas	Total
Areas	n	%
East	738	38
South	589	30
North	305	16
West	194	10
Center	134	7
Sample Base	1960	100

		n	%
Sample Base		1960	100
Gender	Females	1046	53
Gender	Males	914	47
Age	18/25	278	14
	26/35	404	21
	36/45	349	18
	46/55	325	17
	56/65	273	14
	66 e +	328	17
	Refusal	3	^* * Percentage value lower than 0.003%.
Schooling	Illiterate/Incomplete basic education	292	15
	Complete basic education/Incomplete junior high school	484	25
	Complete junior high school/Incomplete senior high school	346	18
	Complete senior high school/Incomplete higher education	620	32
	Complete higher education	218	11
Race (Per-observation)	Whites	1237	63
	Blacks	167	9
	Yellows	45	2
	Browns	507	26
	Indians	4	^* * Percentage value lower than 0.003%.

			Age
Have you ever felt dizzy?	Total		Age
	Total		18 to 25 years		26 to 35 years		36 to 45 years		46 to 55 years		56 to 65 years		Over 65 years
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Yes	831	42	117	42	166	41	128	37	158	49	118	43	144	44
No	1129	58	161	58	238	59	221	63	167	51	155	57	184	56
Sample Base	1960		278		404		349		325		273		328
Chi-squared test
			Value						DF				p
Pearson’s chi-squared			12,705a						6				0,048
Odds ratio			13,822						6				0,032
Linear by linear association			1,275						1				0,259

How would you describe your dizziness?			Age
	Total		18 to 25 Years		26 to 35 Years		36 to 45 Years		46 to 55 Years		56 to 65 Years		Over 65 Years
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Vertigo	343	41	57	49	78	47	46	36	58	37	50	42	54	38
Fainting	146	18	21	18	33	20	28	22	28	18	20	17	16	11
Unbalance	114	14	10	9	15	9	14	11	24	15	17	14	34	24
Fluctuation	228	27	29	25	40	24	40	31	48	30	31	26	40	28
Reduced Base^* * Individuals with dizzy feeling; DF: Difference; p : Statistical significance (two-tailed); the: 0 cells (0%) expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 16.05.	831	117	166	128	158	118	144
Chi-squared test
			Value							DF			p
Pearson’s chi-squared			28,842a							15			0,017
Odds ratio			28,107							15			0,021
Linear by linear association			5,673							1			0,017

For how long have you been feeling dizzy?			Age
	Total		18 to 25 Years		26 to 35 Years		36 to 45 Years		46 to 55 Years		56 to 65 Years		Over 65 Years
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Up to 1 year	255	31	47	40	65	39	37	29	43	27	35	30	28	19
> 1 up to 3 years	232	28	38	32	50	30	42	33	36	23	32	27	34	24
> 3 up to 5 years	101	12	12	10	20	12	14	11	23	15	15	13	17	12
> 5 up to 10 years	130	16	14	12	14	8	21	16	27	17	18	15	36	25
> 10 up to 20 years	66	8	4	3	13	8	8	6	16	10	9	8	16	11
> 20 up to 30 years	29	3	2	2	1	1	6	5	8	5	4	3	8	6
> 30 years	7	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	3	3	3	-	-
Refused	1	*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
Does not know/remember	10	1	-	-	3	2	-	-	1	1	2	2	4	3
Reduced Base^* * Individuals feeling dizzy, DF: Difference, p : Statistical significance (two-tailed), to: 261 cells (87%) expect to count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 0.14.	831		117		166		128		158		118		144
Chi-squared test
		Valor				DF					p
Pearson’s chi-squared		319,4938ª				245					0,001
Odds ratio		322,963				245					0,001
Linear by linear association		2,954				1					0,086

			Age
Have You Been To The Doctor Because Of Dizziness?	Total		18 to 25 Years		26 to 35 Years		36 to 45 Years		46 to 55 Years		56 to 65 Years		Over 65 Years
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Yes	382	46	32	27	62	37	47	37	87	55	66	56	88	61
No	449	54	85	73	104	63	81	63	71	45	52	44	56	39
Reduced Base^* * Individuals feeling dizzy, DF: Difference, p: Statistical significance (two-tailed), a: 0 cells (0%) expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 53.78.	831		117		166		128		158		118		144
Chi-squared test
		Value				DF					p
Pearson’s chi-squared		48,975^a				5					0,000
Odds ratio		49,840				5					0,000
Linear by linear association		44,610				1					0,000

Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Sede da Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico Facial, Av. Indianópolia, 1287, 04063-002 São Paulo/SP Brasil, Tel.: (0xx11) 5053-7500, Fax: (0xx11) 5053-7512 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revista@aborlccf.org.br

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[1] Send correspondence to: Roseli Saraiva Moreira Bittar. Rua Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, nº 255, 6º andar, sala 6021. Cerqueira César. São Paulo - SP. Brasil. CEP: 05403-000. Tel: +55 (011) 2661-6538. Fax: +55 (011) 3088-0299. E-mail: roseli.bittar@hc.fm.usp.br