Epidemiology of Vertigo: A National Survey

Objective. To investigate the epidemiology of vertigo among the general adult population in Taiwan using the National Health Insurance claims database. Study Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. Data were retrieved from the 2006 National Health Insurance claims database. Subjects and Methods. Claims data were retrieved for patients 18 years or older with a diagnosis of vertigo (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 078.81, 386.XX, or 780.4) from January to December 2006. The authors describe the prevalence and recurrence of vertigo and the medical resource utilization associated with its treatment. Logistic regression models are used to assess the independent effects of age, sex, seasonal variation, institutional level of care, and specialty of care on the risk of vertigo recurrence. Results. A total of 527,807 adult patients (mean +/- SD age, 55.1 +/- 17.3 years; 1: 1.96 ratio of men to women) experienced vertigo in 2006. The prevalence of vertigo was 3.13 cases per 100 adults. Within 1 year of their index vertigo attack, 199,210 patients (37.7%) experienced recurrence. The prevalence and recurrence of vertigo increased significantly with age (P < .001 for both, chi(2) test). Age, sex, seasonal variation, institutional level of care, and specialty of care had various effects on the risk of vertigo recurrence. Conclusion. Vertigo is a major health burden among the general adult population and tends to recur, particularly among older women.