Importance: Vestibular dysfunction causes vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance, impairing daily life and leading to substantial healthcare use. Precise prevalence and economic impact remain unclear.
Objective: To estimate the one-year prevalence and direct healthcare costs of vestibular disorders in France.
Design: A matched case-control study using the French national health data system covering over 67 million records in 2022.
Setting: Nationwide health insurance data including all public and private healthcare interactions.
Population: Adults aged ≥18 years diagnosed or treated for vestibular disease, matched 1:1 with controls by age, sex, comorbidities, region, and deprivation.
Exposure: Vestibular disorder diagnosis or treatment in 2022.
Outcome: Direct healthcare expenditures in 2022 and 2023.
Results: Vestibular disorders affected 2.5% of adults (1,279,966 cases). Cases incurred mean costs of €4,233 versus €3,719 in controls in 2023, with an excess of €657 million nationally.
Conclusions and relevance: Vestibular disorders are common and associated with significant excess healthcare costs. Standardizing diagnostic and therapeutic pathways may reduce expenditures and improve care quality.
Keywords: Betahistine; Healthcare costs; Prevalence of vestibular disorders; Vestibular dysfunction.
© 2026. The Author(s).