COMPARING DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO INVENTORY RESPONSES IN THAI AND THAI-CHINESE PEOPLE

Abstract

It is acknowledged that ancestry may play a role in the likelihood of reporting motion sickness, based upon questionnaires in which symptoms are reported more frequently in individuals with Asian ancestry. This study compares motion sickness and related vertigo syndromes in Thai and Thai-Chinese populations. The Motion Sickness Questionnaire; Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire; Acrophobia Questionnaire; Body Symptoms Questionnaire and the Situational Characteristics Questionnaire were administered to 128 participants. Eighty-eight participants had a father, mother and all grandparents of Thai origin, while 44 participants had with at least one Chinese ancestor among parents or grandparents. All responses were similar between groups except regarding fear of heights, which is significantly higher in Thai participants without recent Chinese ancestors. Reported motion sickness sensitivity is similar between Thai and Chinese populations. The group differences for some fear of heights items may be linked to each group’ previous experience with heights. Results also suggest that although conquering a fear of heights might require specific visuo-vestibular adaptations, these adaptations alone may not be sufficient to lessen an individual’sfear of heights.