Epidemiology

Individual susceptibility to motion sickness appears to develop sometime during childhood, peak at around the age of puberty, and decline through adulthood.[10][11]​ Children aged 2-12 years are particularly susceptible to motion sickness, while older adults (aged >50 years) are less susceptible.[9] Actual vomiting appears to be infrequent beyond teenage years.[12]

There are wide variations in susceptibility to motion sickness, but only those individuals with a non-functional vestibular system are truly immune. In highly provocative environments, such as on a life raft in rough seas, all people can become motion sick.[1]​ Although the impact of motion sickness on activities of daily life has not been surveyed extensively, about one third of people experience significant symptoms when riding in vehicles; with passenger illness occurrence three times higher for passengers with no view of the road ahead compared to passengers who could see the road ahead extremely well.[13] In extreme cases of individuals with the highest levels of susceptibility, moderate motions may induce severe motion sickness that causes incapacitating malaise including nausea, dizziness, and headache, which may last throughout motion and for hours afterwards.

Women are more susceptible to motion sickness than men; women show a higher incidence of vomiting and report a higher incidence of symptoms such as nausea.[13][14][15]​ A 5:3 female-to-male risk ratio for vomiting has been shown for ferry passengers.[16] There is evidence that there is a slightly higher susceptibility among people of Asian ancestry.[1]​[15][17][18]​​

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer