Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Long travel distances required to access specialist medical care are amongst multiple factors that contribute to poor health in rural populations. This is of concern since referral to medical specialists is required for diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As shown by the CIHR-funded Saskatchewan Rural Health Study (SRHS), loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, common characteristics of OSA, are prevalent among farming and rural populations, and untreated OSA is common. The companion Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort Study demonstrated relationships between untreated sleep disordered breathing and injury. Previous literature has not addressed the impact of distance to specialist medical services on likelihood of OSA diagnosis, nor has it assessed how distance to specialist care may mediate the established relationship between undiagnosed OSA and injury. My proposed study will address these important gaps in the biomedical literature. We will employ a cross-sectional design, using data collected from the SRHS, to evaluate the association between distance to specialist care and likelihood of OSA diagnosis and to assess the impact of distance on the established relationship between undiagnosed OSA and injury. Study findings will have important implications for government health care funders, rural residents and sleep specialists, as it will inform effective clinical management of OSA and address the need for on-site distance diagnosis and treatment programs. The study will have integrated and end-of-grant knowledge translation components involving traditional publication combined with communication with medical professionals and rural residents affected by OSA and/or its common symptoms.