The referral-to-attendance gap in vestibular rehabilitation: a retrospective cohort study in diverse South Florida patients

Despite strong evidence for vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT), the proportion of referred patients who actually attend remains poorly characterized. This study quantified the VRT referral-to-attendance gap in a South Florida cohort and evaluated whether sociodemographic and insurance-related factors were associated with treatment uptake and clinical outcomes measured by the Dizziness Handicap Index (DHI) and...

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Clinics referring patients to vestibular rehabilitation should proactively identify barriers to attendance — such as transportation, language, insurance, and health literacy — particularly in diverse or underserved populations, as the referral-to-attendance gap appears substantial.

A large referral-to-attendance gap in vestibular rehabilitation means many patients with treatable balance disorders go without effective care, highlighting a systemic access and follow-through problem that clinics and health systems need to address.

1. 01A significant proportion of patients referred for vestibular rehabilitation (balance therapy) never attend their first appointment.
2. 02Study conducted in a diverse South Florida population, offering insights into equity and access barriers.
3. 03Retrospective cohort design identified the size of the referral-to-attendance gap.
4. 04Factors such as demographics, insurance, or distance may contribute to non-attendance (exact factors depend on full paper data).
5. 05Findings have direct implications for how vestibular referral pathways are designed and followed up.

PMID

42383025

DOI

10.3389/fneur.2026.1862003.

Journal

Frontiers in Neurology

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

2b

Population

Diverse patients in South Florida referred for vestibular rehabilitation therapy

Intervention

Referral to vestibular rehabilitation therapy