Abstract
1) The data published by the Welfare Ministry and the Gifu prefectural office were analyzed with respect to persons with balance disorders. Balance disorders account for only 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent of all physical disabilities.
2) The number of, persons with balance disorders living in Gifu prefecture is 81.
3) The causes of the balance disorder in these 81 persons were : labyrinth or eighth cranial nerve damage (31), CNS disturbance (42), combined disturbance of the labyrinth and CNS (4), and unknown (4).
4) Persons under 18 years or 60 years of age had mainly CNS disturbances.
5) The incidence of multiple handicaps, especially balance disorder plus deafness, was higher in the labyrinth and the eighth cranial nerve damage group than in the CNS disturbance group.
6) Grade 5 balance disorder was more common than grade 3 in the labyrinth and the eighth cranial nerve damage group. The number of grade 3 and grade 5 balance disorders was approximately equal in the CNS disturbance group.
