Sleep apnea screening through a news portal using the STOP-bang questionnaire

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects up to 936 million adults globally and is linked to significant health risks, including neurocognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic conditions. Despite its prevalence, OSA remains largely underdiagnosed. This study aimed to enhance OSA awareness and risk assessment using the STOP-Bang questionnaire in a telemedicine format.

During a six-week campaign on a popular Latin American news portal, 5,966 adults completed the STOP-Bang questionnaire. Participants reporting moderate or severe OSA risk were advised to seek clinical evaluation.

Among respondents, 44.7% were identified as having a moderate-to-high risk for OSA. Key risk factors included snoring, witnessed apneas, hypertension, male gender, older age, high BMI, and larger neck circumference. Statistical analyses showed significant associations between these variables and OSA risk.

This study highlights the importance of increasing OSA visibility and early detection in the general population. Despite limitations such as selection bias and potential false negatives/positives with the STOP-Bang tool, the findings demonstrate the potential of media campaigns to raise awareness and prompt early medical consultation. Future efforts should include follow-up assessments to evaluate healthcare-seeking behavior and confirm OSA diagnoses, contributing to improved public health outcomes.