Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Vestibular Dysfunction in Females with Menopause

Background: Hormonal changes during menopause affect the vestibular system by interfering with homeostasis and by disrupting the enzyme cycles and neurotransmitter function. It has been observed that females have a higher risk of falling and this may increase after menopause. Balance in women is significantly affected by menopause. Objective: To find the prevalence of vestibular dysfunction in menopausal females and to find the risk factors associated with vestibular dysfunction. Methods: The analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from May to October 2021, the data was collected from 385 women in district Jhelum who had menopause after the age of 45 years.  Non-probability convenient sampling was used to collect data. The Berg balance scale, activity-specific balance confidence scale, and a self-made questionnaire for risk factors were used in the study. Results: According to the activity-specific balance confidence scale, 24.4% of the population had high, 60.5% moderate, and 15.1% low physical functioning. A score of less than 67% indicated that 48.1% of patients had a risk for falls in the future. Berg balance scale showed that 6.8% of patients had a high, 22.9% medium, and 60.4% low risk of falling, a score less than 45 demonstrated that 55.8% had a higher fall risk. Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and smoking were all statistically significant risk factors for falls (p≤0.001). Conclusion: The current study concludes that there is a significant risk of developing vestibular dysfunction, with an increased risk of falls after menopause in females. Hearing loss is the most common risk factor while obesity also has a great impact on the vestibular system. But there is an increased chance of falls in participants with stroke and hypertension.