Italy's National Health Service misses 60% of resolvable balance disorders

A recent study published in the international journal Healthcare indicates that 60% of individuals with resolvable balance disorders are not being identified by the Italian National Health Service (SSN). These disorders are a frequent cause of falls, which can lead to severe consequences, particularly for the elderly.

Balance issues account for 5% of emergency room visits, creating significant costs for the public health system and long diagnostic processes for citizens. Experts note that many cases, such as positional vestibular vertigo, could be resolved quickly through simple maneuvers performed by an audiologist during a visit.

Luciano Bubbico, a scientific coordinator for the National Institute for the Analysis of Public Policies (Inapp), highlighted the findings in collaboration with researchers from the University of Trieste and the University of Padua. The study emphasizes the need for better diagnostic techniques to address common conditions like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, and vestibular neuritis.