What are the views of those participating in a trial investigating acute post-traumatic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo? A qualitative study.
Rebecca M Smith, Bithi Sahu, Caroline Burgess and 5 others
PMID 39627936WHAT IT FOUND
Therapists and patients viewed acute BPPV assessment in trauma as feasible.
Patients valued the diagnosis for validating symptoms and reducing fear. Therapists noted role extension challenges. Patients found the advice arm acceptable despite therapist safety concerns. No efficacy was tested.
Key findings
01Therapists and patients perceived acute diagnosis of BPPV as beneficial for validating symptoms, providing a treatment plan, and reducing patient anxiety about the cause of dizziness.
02Healthcare professionals expressed safety concerns about randomizing patients to the advice arm, while patients in that group generally found the approach acceptable or preferred waiting due to other injuries.
03Therapists identified barriers including the difficulty of consenting confused or dizzy patients, time pressures, and the need for role extension training for occupational therapists.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Patient interviews were conducted by the chief investigator, which may have introduced bias or influenced the high consent rate. The study did not include views of family members or carers, who are often involved in consent for patients with cognitive impairment. BPPV diagnosis was clinical and did not mandate videonystagmography, which may affect the consistency of diagnosis across sites. As a qualitative feasibility study, it reports on experiences and acceptability, not on the clinical effectiveness of the interventions.
Declared interests
Rebecca Smith is funded by the National Institute of Health Research. Barry Seemungal is supported by grants from the Medical Research Council, Imperial Health Charity, and NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this study as evidence that acute BPPV treatment improves clinical outcomes or reduces falls. It reports on the feasibility and acceptability of the trial procedures and interventions, not their efficacy.