Dizziness is Associated with Poor Mental and Physical Health Outcomes: a Cross-Sectional National Study of Middle-Aged and Older Adults in India

Dizziness may be associated with negative health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the associations between dizziness and mental and physical health outcomes in middle-aged and older community-dwelling adults in India.

Cross-sectional data from 72,262 individuals (≥ 45 years) of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 in 2017-2018 were analyzed. Dizziness was assessed with the question of having persistent or troublesome dizziness or light headedness in the past two years.

More than one in seven participants (13.7%) reported past 2-years dizziness. In adjusted logistic, linear and Poisson regression analyses, dizziness was associated with worse self-rated health status, lower life satisfaction, major depressive disorder, insomnia symptoms and severe fatigue. Regarding physical health, dizziness increased the odds of pain conditions, cardiovascular conditions, chronic lung disease, functional limitations, fall history, hearing loss, impaired vision and higher number of medications currently used. In addition, in the unadjusted analysis, dizziness was negatively associated with cognitive functioning.

Dizziness was associated with six poor mental health and eight poor physical health outcomes. Findings support multidimensional management of dizziness in the general population.