Wireless sensor patch for reducing barriers to in-home sleep apnea screening

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. OSA affects an estimated 18-40 million adults and 0.7-3% of all children in the US. OSA results in tiredness, depression and fatigue, and has severalassociated common comorbidities. It is believed that over 80% of OSA remains undiagnosed. Poorer and disadvantaged communities are at higher risk for sleep disorders, including OSA, even after accounting for other risk factors. An affordable, available, FDA-approved and easy-to-use over-the-counter OSA screening tool will allow greater screening of at-risk individuals, especially in underserved communities with low socioeconomic status, hopefully encouraging a greater proportion of such individuals to seektreatment for their condition. The widespread availability of an approved over-the-counter, affordable, easy-to-use sleep apnea screening device through drugstores and consumer health outlets will allow underprivileged communities access to a high-qu