Finding the gaps when it comes to education about sleep apnea is what a team of researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are trying to address through a new project.

Dr. Donna Goodridge says about a third of people who are prescribed treatment for sleep apnea never start. She adds they’re not sure how many people who get equipment, if they go on to use it properly.

Through the study, the researchers will look for those in Saskatoon and Regina who have had sleep testing done to fill out surveys to understand what their level of knowledge is about sleep apnea and to learn about their specific condition.

Goodridge says they’ll then follow up with the patients at a later date to see if they have continued to use their CPAP machine in a regular basis.

She adds there are a lot things that people are unsure about, that’s why the project is aimed at identifying those gaps to see where there needs to be more public education.

If someone is finding their CPAP machine to be uncomfortable, Goodridge suggests contacting the vendor they got the device from so that they can make the necessary adjustments.

Goodridge adds people who sleep apnea and they leave it untreated, it can lead to a number of long-term health issues including changes with cognitive functions and cardiovascular implications.

The study is one of the first projects that have been awarded as the result of a partnership between the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and The Lung Association, Saskatchewan signed last year committing to respiratory health research over the next five years.