Comparing in-clinic versus telehealth for vestibular physical therapy.

Publication/Presentation Date

6-15-2024

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) is a commonly employed treatment method for disorders of dizziness and imbalance. Access to a clinic for rehabilitation appointments can be challenging for a person experiencing dizziness. Telehealth may offer a comparable alternative to clinic-based VR for some patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of telehealth-based VR compared to traditional clinic-based VR, as measured with the Dizziness Handicapped Inventory (DHI) in a retrospective sample of patients with vestibular conditions.

METHODS: This is a retrospective, multi-institutional review from May 2020 to January 2021. Three study groups were analyzed: a telehealth group, a hybrid group, and a clinic based control group. Treatment efficacy was measured using the DHI. A repeated measures ANCOVA was performed to compare changes between the groups and across timepoints.

RESULTS: The repeated measures ANCOVA was not significant for the interaction of groups (control, telehealth, and hybrid) by time (pre and post) (p > 0.05). However, there was a significant main effect for time (pre and post) (p < 0.05). Specifically, all groups improved DHI scores from pre to post treatment with mean differences of control: 31.85 points, telehealth: 18.75 points, and hybrid: 21.45 points.

CONCLUSION: Findings showed that in-clinic, telehealth, and hybrid groups demonstrated a decrease in DHI scores, indicating self-reported improvements in the impact of dizziness on daily life. Continued research is recommended to explore the efficacy of using telehealth in assessing and treating vestibular conditions.

ISSN

1878-6464

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

38905068

Department(s)

Department of Surgery

Document Type

Article

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