Prevalence and direct costs of vestibular disease in France – matched case-control study results from the 2022 and 2023 french health data system

Importance Vestibular dysfunction causes vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance, impairing daily life and leading to substantial healthcare use. Precise prevalence and economic impact remain unclear. Objective To estimate the one-year prevalence and direct healthcare costs of vestibular disorders in France. Design A matched case-control study using the French national health data system covering over 67 million records in 2022. Setting Nationwide health insurance data including all public and private healthcare interactions. Population Adults aged ≥18 years diagnosed or treated for vestibular disease, matched 1:1 with controls by age, sex, comorbidities, region, and deprivation. Exposure Vestibular disorder diagnosis or treatment in 2022. Outcome Direct healthcare expenditures in 2022 and 2023. Results Vestibular disorders affected 2.5% of adults (1,279,966 cases). Cases incurred mean costs of €4,233 versus €3,719 in controls in 2023, with an excess of €657 million nationally. Conclusions and relevance Vestibular disorders are common and associated with significant excess healthcare costs. Standardizing diagnostic and therapeutic pathways may reduce expenditures and improve care quality.