HYPOTHESIS: The goal of this study was to assess the impact of dizziness 
handicap, illness intrusiveness (in relation to vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing 
problems), and illness uncertainty on depression in people with the symptoms of 
Ménière's disease.
BACKGROUND: Ménière's disease is a progressive disease of the inner ear, the 
symptoms of which are vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and aural fullness. 
Although pharmacologic treatments may reduce acute vertigo spells and dizziness, 
they rarely disappear entirely. Previous research shows that Ménière's disease 
is unpredictable and has a negative impact on patients' quality of life.
METHODS: Questionnaires measuring Dizziness Handicap, Illness Intrusiveness, 
Illness Uncertainty, and Depression were completed by 74 people with 
self-reported symptoms of Ménière's disease. Bivariate correlations, 
repeated-measures analysis of variance, and multiple regression analyses were 
used to assess the contribution of dizziness handicap, illness intrusiveness, 
and illness uncertainty to depression.
CONCLUSION: Vertigo was more intrusive than tinnitus, hearing problems, and most 
other comparator illnesses. The intrusiveness of the symptoms of Ménière's 
disease accounted for 32% of the variance in depression scores, which were high; 
illness uncertainty did not account for additional variance. Dizziness handicap 
accounted for 31% of the variation in depression. Although the symptoms of 
Ménière's disease may not be alleviated by psychological methods, programs that 
target cognitions in relation to the embarrassment in front of others, and the 
feeling of being handicapped, may lessen the psychosocial impact of the symptoms 
of Ménière's disease, which may reduce some of the depression felt in this 
group.