Pathological vestibular symptoms presenting in a group of adults with HIV/AIDS in Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Aim: The current study aimed to explore the pathological vestibular symptoms presenting in a group of adults with HIV/AIDS in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Design: A quantitative non-experimental research design was adopted where data was collected by means of a questionnaire with close-ended questions on 96 participants who were recruited from a teaching hospital’s HIV/AIDS research unit.

Analysis: Data were analysed through descriptive statistics.

Results: Findings from the current study revealed that 17% of the sample studied presented with an occurrence of pathological vestibular symptoms. The most prominently reported pathological vestibular symptoms found were vertigo, dizziness, light-headedness, unsteadiness and headaches. Of the participants experiencing vestibular symptoms, 69% reported experiencing co-occurring audiological symptoms. Collectively, these symptoms were found to have a significant effect on the participants’ quality of life and their ability to work. Interestingly, however, current findings revealed that only 31% of the participants experiencing pathological vestibular symptoms had reported these symptoms to medical professionals.

Keywords:

• adults
• HIV/AIDS
• Johannesburg
• pathological vestibular symptoms
• quality of life
• South Africa

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Dr Sello Mashamaite from Thembalethu Clinic at Helen Joseph Hospital for his assistance during the data collection phase of this study; along with staff at this site for their impressive record keeping which was crucial for the record review aspect of this study

Conflict of interest

None

Ethical standards

The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional guidelines on human experimentation (The University of the Witwatersrand Medical Ethics Committee) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008.