Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities: protocol for the Let's Yarn About Sleep-Obstructive Sleep Apnea Program

Yaqoot Fatima^{1

2

3}, Shannon L Edmed^{2

3}, Roslyn Von Senden¹, Romola S Bucks^{4

5

6}, Bushra Nasir⁷, Daniel P Sullivan^{1

3

8

9}, Azhar Hussain Potia^{2

10}, Kathleen Maddison^{11

12}, Wayne Williams⁷, Tracy Woodroffe¹³, Simon Joosten^{14

15}, Michelle Olaithe⁴, Mark Robinson^{16

17}, Lauren P Lawson¹⁸, Scott Coussens^{19

20

21}, Ruth Wallace¹², Shaun Solomon²², Ching Li Chai-Coetzer^{23

24}, Danny Eckert^{23

24}, Elizabeth A Machan^{25

26}, Neil Dunne¹, Stephanie King²², Charmaine Nicholls²⁷, Dwayne Mann²⁸, Philip Terrill²⁸, Markesh Fanti¹, Caitie Ashby¹, Alvin Hava²⁹, Timothy Skinner^{30

31}

Affiliations

¹ Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia.
² ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
³ Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁵ School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁶ Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁷ Toowoomba Regional Clinical Unit, Medical School, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia.
⁸ Department of Psychology, Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁹ School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, QLD, Australia.
¹⁰ Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Sleep Science, School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹² Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹³ Faculty of Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia.
¹⁴ School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹⁵ Monash Lung, Sleep, Allergy and Immunology, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
¹⁶ Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹⁷ School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
¹⁸ Department of Psychology, Counselling, and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.
¹⁹ Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²⁰ School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²¹ Department of Justice and Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²² Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University, Mount Isa, QLD, Australia.
²³ Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health and FHMRI Sleep Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²⁴ Respiratory Sleep and Ventilation Services, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
²⁵ Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
²⁶ Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sleep and Circadian Research Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
²⁷ Ngak Min Health, Gordonvale, QLD, Australia.
²⁸ School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
²⁹ Mithangkaya Nguli-Young People Ahead Youth Community Services Indigenous Corporation, Mount Isa, QLD, Australia.
³⁰ Australian Centre for Behavioral Research in Diabetes, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³¹ Institute of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

PMID: 41080915
PMCID: PMC12510461
DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpaf061

Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities: protocol for the Let's Yarn About Sleep-Obstructive Sleep Apnea Program

Yaqoot Fatima et al. Sleep Adv. 2025.

. 2025 Sep 10;6(4):zpaf061.

doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpaf061. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia.
² ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
³ Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁵ School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁶ Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁷ Toowoomba Regional Clinical Unit, Medical School, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia.
⁸ Department of Psychology, Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
⁹ School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, QLD, Australia.
¹⁰ Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Sleep Science, School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹² Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹³ Faculty of Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia.
¹⁴ School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹⁵ Monash Lung, Sleep, Allergy and Immunology, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
¹⁶ Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹⁷ School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
¹⁸ Department of Psychology, Counselling, and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.
¹⁹ Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²⁰ School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²¹ Department of Justice and Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²² Murtupuni Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University, Mount Isa, QLD, Australia.
²³ Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health and FHMRI Sleep Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
²⁴ Respiratory Sleep and Ventilation Services, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
²⁵ Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
²⁶ Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sleep and Circadian Research Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
²⁷ Ngak Min Health, Gordonvale, QLD, Australia.
²⁸ School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
²⁹ Mithangkaya Nguli-Young People Ahead Youth Community Services Indigenous Corporation, Mount Isa, QLD, Australia.
³⁰ Australian Centre for Behavioral Research in Diabetes, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³¹ Institute of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

PMID: 41080915
PMCID: PMC12510461
DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpaf061

Abstract

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent, yet significantly under-recognized disorder in First Nations Australians. Responding to strong community demand for local capacity building for sleep health equity, this paper outlines the Let's Yarn About Sleep-OSA (LYAS-OSA) program protocol. The LYAS-OSA program will involve the co-design, implementation, and evaluation of a place-based, culturally responsive, nurse-led, and Aboriginal Health Worker-supported model for OSA diagnosis and management for First Nations peoples. This program will partner with health services and organizations across 12 communities in Queensland, Australia. The program will be conducted from 2023 to 2027. During the set up and development stage, an advanced data analytics study of secondary data will examine OSA phenotypes and symptomatology in First Nations Queensland communities. In addition, consumers and healthcare professionals will be engaged in co-design workshops to inform the development of a service delivery model framework. In stage two, local capacity building activities for Aboriginal Health Workers and nurses will be undertaken, with training on OSA diagnosis and management. This work will culminate in delivering and evaluating the co-designed service model. This community-led approach to co-designing, implementing, and evaluating the LYAS-OSA service delivery model will advance knowledge to deliver culturally responsive, context-responsive, OSA diagnosis, and management care for First Nations communities. The LYAS-OSA program outputs will significantly contribute to the evidence base and service delivery provision for OSA care, thereby improving sleep health equity for First Nations Australians.

Keywords: First Nations; Obstructive Sleep Apnea; co-design; culturally responsive healthcare; indigenous; sleep.

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Figures

**Figure 1**
Project timeline. *Time (days) from screening to home PSG, time (days) from positive home PSG to commencing CPAP, number of clinical points of care. **Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire Short Form, Epworth sleepiness scale, short form 36, EQ-5D-5L, Insomnia Severity Index, OSA-50, general practice sleep scale, height, weight, systemic blood pressure. ***Days used >4 h, days used, apnea–hypopnea index, 95 percentile and median pressure (cmH2O), 95 percentile and median leak (L/min). Abbreviations: CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure, PSG: polysomnography.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities: protocol for the Let's Yarn About Sleep-Obstructive Sleep Apnea Program

Affiliations

Obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and management in First Nations communities: protocol for the Let's Yarn About Sleep-Obstructive Sleep Apnea Program

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources