Rethinking the distribution of sleep services: Discrepancy of obstructive sleep apnoea in rural compared with metropolitan men in Australia - a large national survey

• Published in: Rural and remote health 2023-09, Vol.23 (3), p.1-7
• Main Authors: Booker, Lauren A, Hodge, Brad, Skinner, Timothy C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Australia; Evaluation; Health aspects; obstructive sleep apnoea; OSA; Public health; Rural health; Sleep; Sleep apnea syndromes; Social aspects; Treatment
• ISSN: 1445-6354; 1445-6354
• DOI: 10.22605/RRH7704

Introduction: Geographical location is increasingly recognised as a contributor to health inequity, with barriers including travel distances and a shortage of healthcare services. Individuals living in rural areas are known to have increased illness and comorbidities. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is one such illness. OSA is a condition where a person repeatedly pauses breathing while asleep due to their airways becoming wholly or partially blocked, and it is associated with various chronic diseases. Exploration into the effects of these barriers on OSA is limited. This study explores the proportion of diagnosed and undiagnosed OSA in men living in rural compared to metropolitan areas. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of the Australian Ten to Men dataset. The present study looked at men aged over 18 years diagnosed with OSA in their lifetime from wave 2 (n=10 513) and wave 3 (n=7262) of the dataset. Wave 2 data were collected between November 2015 and May 2016, and wave 3 between July 2020 and February 2021. Results: In wave 2, a higher proportion of rural men were diagnosed with OSA than metropolitan men (OR, 1.47, 95%CI 1.22-1.78, p