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Our Approach

Sleep Equity Project has three pillars which make up our focus.  They are Advocacy, Community Intervention, and Supporting Sleep Equity & Disparity Research.  Please scroll through each pillar to understand more of each focus. 

What does the outcome of Sleep Equity look like? 

  • Diagnosed with sleep disorders and treated at the same rate as others in society.

  • Diagnosis and Sleep treatment is accessible across the lifespan.

  • Mortality rate from related illnesses goes down as a result of people being treated earlier for sleep disorders.

  • Accessibility and cost of sleep treatment is attainable regardless of socioeconomic status and geographical location where a person lives.

  • Gender and Gender Identity plays no role in diagnosis AND treatment of a sleep disorder.

  • Clinical Research studies for sleep disorders are inclusive of people of all ethnic and racial backgrounds.

  • Medications for sleep disorders are based on a wide sample of different ethnicities and both genders equally across the lifespan.

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

Advocacy

Involves awareness and education of existing relationship between sleep deficiency and related health conditions.  Also, through this effort,  specific groups of people (minorities, women, seniors, children) will be empowered through learning about specific sleep disorders and the rate of underdiagnoses.

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Examining Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and Federal Drug Administration regulations around services which contribute to barriers to diagnosis and treatment for underserved populations. 

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Where people live and socioeconomic status impact their access to adequate healthy food, exercise, quality healthcare, employment opportunities, exposure to pollution and sleep quality.  The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) impact the prevalence of health disparities. 

Community Intervention

A range of approaches to provide equity to affected populations.  This involves working with organizations that will have an individual, family or community impact.  Some examples of desired interventions are:

  • Collaborating with community health clinics to develop sleep services to impact individuals

  • Working with health education programs (podcasts, health fairs, health equity organizations) to incorporate materials on healthy sleep and sleep disorders/treatment (family)

  • Implementing sleep education materials specific to co-related health conditions in partnership with patient advocacy groups and community health clinics (community)

  • Supporting the pipeline of minority sleep practitioners (community)

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Supporting Sleep Equity and Disparity Research

Sleep research has made tremendous discoveries about sleep disorders.  There has also been a significant amount of research into the relationship of sleep deficiency, sleep disorders and disease development. 

 

The field of Sleep Disparities has highlighted the impact of the Social Determinants of Health and how quality, duration and presence of sleep disorders have contributed to the worsening of related health conditions.

 

Sleep Equity Project seeks to support current and future sleep equity and  disparity research.  Of particular interest is Translational Research which seeks to test and implement solutions in the community. 

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