Schäffler Florian, Müller Martin, Huppert Doreen, Brandt Thomas, Tiffe Theresa, Grill Eva
Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometrics and Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Marchioninistr. 17, 81377, Munich, Germany,
Qual Life Res. 2014 Mar;23(2):697-705. doi: 10.1007/s11136-013-0506-6. Epub 2013 Aug 22.
Visual height intolerance (vHI) occurs when a trigger causes the apprehension of losing balance and falling. Depending on the severity of vHI, an avoidance behavior may develop in about 50 % of the thus afflicted, and it can have considerable impact on their daily life and interpersonal interactions. It seems obvious that such experiences may be impairing and distressing, but this has not yet been examined systematically. Objective of this study was to examine the consequences of vHI for quality of life.
A qualitative, phenomenological exploratory approach was chosen. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with individuals who had reported in a previous study that they were susceptible to vHI. The interview transcripts were segregated into distinct meaning units, which were used to create a coding guideline with meta- and subcodes. Meaning units were then systematically extracted and assigned to the appropriate codes. Weights and links were used to assign priorities for interpretation.
Eighteen participants were interviewed (mean age 53, range 30-73; 11 females). Data analysis resulted in 29 meta-codes and 115 subcodes. Responses indicated that vHI can be very disabling and has a relevant impact on quality of life and daily activities of the affected persons, including their family life and behavior towards partner, children and friends.
Relevant topics for further quantitative studies were identified, for example, strategies of compensation and the influence of vHI on family life. Other quantitative studies should determine whether comorbidities and the typologies found in this study have consequences for individual therapeutic approaches.
当触发因素导致担心失去平衡和跌倒时，就会出现视觉性恐高症（vHI）。根据vHI的严重程度，约50%的患者可能会出现回避行为，这会对他们的日常生活和人际交往产生相当大的影响。显然，这些经历可能会造成损害并令人痛苦，但尚未进行系统研究。本研究的目的是探讨vHI对生活质量的影响。
采用定性的现象学探索性方法。对在先前研究中报告易患vHI的个体进行了面对面访谈。访谈记录被分成不同的意义单元，用于创建带有元代码和子代码的编码指南。然后系统地提取意义单元并将其分配到适当的代码中。权重和链接用于确定解释的优先级。
对18名参与者进行了访谈（平均年龄53岁，范围30 - 73岁；11名女性）。数据分析得出29个元代码和115个子代码。回答表明，vHI可能会使人严重致残，并对受影响者的生活质量和日常活动产生相关影响，包括他们的家庭生活以及对伴侣、孩子和朋友的行为。
确定了进一步定量研究的相关主题，例如补偿策略以及vHI对家庭生活的影响。其他定量研究应确定本研究中发现的合并症和类型是否会对个体治疗方法产生影响。
