| dc.description.abstract | Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a condition characterized by brief spinning episodes that occur with a rapid change in head position. Although considered benign, BPPV can have many personal, social, health, and financial implications. Yet, providers in a variety of settings are frequently mismanaging the condition leading to incomplete resolution of symptoms, decreased quality of life, reduced productivity, and increased healthcare spending.
This study sought to better understand why providers fail to follow current evidence-based BPPV guidelines and the impact BPPV-specific education could have on improving their practices. Questionnaires assessing BPPV-specific knowledge as well as inquiring about provider barriers to following guidelines were distributed to 11 providers in a rural Colorado mountain town. A 45-minute education session was then presented to providers in order to update them on current recommendations. Following the education, similar questionnaires reassessing provider knowledge of BPPV guidelines were disseminated. Results showed an improvement in provider knowledge as evidenced by an increase in the percentage of correct response scores following the education session compared to pre-education. Additionally, providers identified difficulty in interpreting nystagmus patterns as well and remembering how to perform the various maneuvers as major barriers to guidelines adherence. Future BPPV education should focus on these two barriers to ensure better guidelines adherence.
In order to evaluate long-term practice changes following the intervention, a 16-month retrospective chart analysis was performed in a small rural emergency department where three of the participating providers from the education session worked. Results from the chart analysis were inconclusive due to a scarcity of patient encounters during the post-intervention period. Future studies should be performed with a larger participation pool and longer analysis period to better evaluate the effectiveness of BPPV-specific education on improving provider practices. The ultimate goals of providing BPPV education are to promote a quicker resolution of patient’s symptoms, improve their quality of life, reduce unnecessary healthcare spending, while still allowing for appropriate provider compensation. | en_US |
