CONTACT:
Monica P. Mallampalli, PhD
President & CEO
Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners
1-855-545-1717
info@apneapartners.org
www.apneapartners.org
 

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. —  The Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners, Inc. (ASAP), a nonprofit organization advocating for people living with sleep apnea, applauds the White House announcement on Advancing Women’s Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life. The executive order aims to address longstanding gaps in women’s health research and advance scientific discoveries for diseases and conditions that uniquely affect or disproportionately impact women.

​

According to the White House, the order directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a new Women’s Health Division within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to strengthen scientific research, accelerate medical breakthroughs, and improve health outcomes for American women and girls.

 

ASAP strongly supports efforts to elevate women’s health as a national research priority. Through the establishment of a White House Women’s Health Task Force and a Women’s Health Division within the NIH, in coordination with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, this initiative presents an opportunity to advance prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and ensure that women receive evidence-based, individualized care throughout their lives.

​

Women’s sleep health must be part of this effort. Sleep apnea, a chronic condition that can have serious consequences if left undiagnosed or inadequately treated, has historically been underrecognized in women. Persistent misconceptions, including the belief that sleep apnea primarily affects older men with overweight or obesity, can contribute to missed symptoms, delayed diagnoses, and barriers to appropriate treatment. 

​

ASAP calls for a stronger focus on women and sleep apnea research, education, and care, including:

​

• Expanding research on screening, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of sleep apnea across all phases of a woman’s life.

• Recognizing sleep apnea as a chronic disease that affects both women and men and is associated with other significant health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes, as well as conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and Alzheimer’s disease that warrant further investigation.

• Advancing sex-specific research to better understand differences in symptoms, risk factors, disease progression, and treatment response in women and men.

• Promoting innovation and personalized care that reflect individual needs, experiences, and treatment outcomes.

• Improving awareness and education among patients, families, and health care professionals to help women recognize potential symptoms and seek timely evaluation and care.

​

“Women’s sleep health has not received the attention it deserves, particularly when it comes to sleep apnea, a condition affecting 80 million Americans,” said Dr. Monica Mallampalli, President and CEO of ASAP. “We welcome efforts to strengthen women’s health research and believe sleep apnea must be part of that conversation. Advancing research into sex differences will help us better understand how this condition presents and affects women and men, ultimately supporting more personalized care throughout the lifespan.”

​

Earlier this year, ASAP convened a roundtable focused on women and sleep apnea, bringing together women to share their lived experiences—from seeking a diagnosis and navigating treatment options to managing the daily challenges of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The resulting report highlights persistent barriers and unmet needs, including delayed and missed diagnoses, underrecognized symptoms, a lack of sex-specific screening approaches, the impact on family members and caregivers, diminished quality of life, fragmented care across medical specialties, and ongoing cognitive symptoms and fatigue despite treatment.

​

These experiences underscore the need for research that reflects women’s lived realities and translates scientific advances into meaningful improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life.

​

ASAP offers educational resources to help women recognize potential signs of sleep apnea and initiate conversations with their health care providers, including Women and Sleep Apnea: Know the Signs. Start the Conversation and the Doctor Dialogue for Women. These resources empower women to discuss their symptoms, ask informed questions, and advocate for the evaluation and care they need.

​

Learn more about ASAP’s advocacy and educational initiatives focused on women and sleep apnea.

​

About the Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners (ASAP)

The Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners is a national, patient-centered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by sleep apnea through education, advocacy, and community support.

 

For more information on ASAP, please visit us at apneapartners.org.

 

Email us at info@apneapartners.org.