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Otology/Neurotology

(411) Quality of Popular Online Resources About Vestibular Migraine

Monday, October 2, 2023
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM East Coast USA Time
Has Audio

    Presenting Author(s)

  • OW

    Oren Wei, BS

    Medical Student
    Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
    Baltimore, MD, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • PK

    Pavan S. Krishnan, MD

    PGY-1, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
    University of Miami/Jackson Health System
    Miami, Florida, United States

  • Jenny X. Chen, MD, EdM

    Neurotology Fellow
    Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States

  • WS

    Wesley W. Schoo, MS

    Research Trainee; Medical Student
    Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States

  • John P. Carey, MD

    Professor
    Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins
    Baltimore, MD, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • DS

    Desi P. Schoo, MD

    Assistant Professor
    The Ohio State University
    Columbus, Ohio, United States

Disclosure(s):
Oren Wei, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Pavan S. Krishnan, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Jenny X. Chen, MD, EdM: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Desi P. Schoo, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: Vestibular migraine (VM) is a common cause of dizziness in the US and one of the most discussed causes of dizziness in online support communities. Many patients seek information regarding VM online. We sought to investigate the readability, actionability, and accuracy of this information.

Methods: We performed separate Google searches using the terms “vestibular migraine”, “migraine with vertigo”, and “migraine with dizziness” on 11/30/2022. The top 40 hits for each search were cross-referenced and 11 text-dominant websites were common to all searches. Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid tests. Understandability and actionability (Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool, PEMAT) were scored by 5 independent reviewers. We also evaluated the online information's compatibility with the consensus definition of “probable vestibular migraine” from the Barany Society and International Headache Society. Fleiss’ κ was calculated for inter-rater agreement.

Results: Of the 11 websites analyzed, 4 were from academic institutions, 3 were from other non-profits, and 4 were from for-profit organizations. Ease scores ranged from 9.1 to 54.4 (mean 35.5, SD=14.4). Reading Grade ranged from 9 to 18 (mean 13, SD=2.9). No website had readability scores at the NIH recommended 8th grade level or an Ease score greater than 60. Understandability scores varied ranging from 49% to 88% (mean 70%, SD=11.8%). Actionability scores varied more, ranging from 12% to 87% (mean 44%, SD=22.4%). There was substantial inter-rater agreement for both PEMAT understandability scoring (mean κ=0.76, SD=0.08) and actionability scoring (mean κ=0.65, SD=0.08). Three sites described all three probable VM diagnostic criteria, another three sites described two, one described one, and four mentioned none.

Conclusions: The quality of online resources for vestibular migraine is poor overall in terms of readability, actionability and diagnostic accuracy.