{"id":{"repo_id":"alabama","oai_identifier":"oai:ir.ua.edu:123456789/18014"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/alabama/oai:ir.ua.edu:123456789/18014","repository":{"repo_id":"alabama","name":"University of Alabama","base_url":"https://ir-api.ua.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Menopausal Women: Evidence, Gaps, and Lived Experiences","abstract":"Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has long been viewed as a predominantly male condition; however, the risk of OSA increases significantly during menopause due to hormonal and physiological changes that influence airway stability, ventilatory control, and sleep quality. Despite this increased vulnerability, OSA in menopausal women remains underrecognized and undertreated, in part because women often present with symptoms that differ from the traditional male profile, leading to delays in diagnosis and challenges accessing appropriate care. The overall aims within this dissertation were to: (1) identify clinical considerations, symptom presentations, and treatment approaches relevant to menopausal women with OSA; (2) synthesize and evaluate the current state of the science regarding menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using a scoping review approach; and (3) explore the lived experiences of menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using an embodied phenomenological approach informed by Merleau-Ponty. Findings across these studies illustrate that OSA during menopause is not solely a physiological condition but a multidimensional experience that affects women's bodies, identities, daily rhythms, and relationships. Women described persistent fatigue, cognitive strain, emotional distress, and disruptions to work and family life while navigating clinical pathways that often minimized or misinterpreted their symptoms. Collectively, these findings establish a foundation for future inquiry into how menopausal women experience OSA, potentially explicating their health-related needs and informing how healthcare providers screen, diagnose, treat, and provide ongoing support to these women.","abstract_html":"Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has long been viewed as a predominantly male condition; however, the risk of OSA increases significantly during menopause due to hormonal and physiological changes that influence airway stability, ventilatory control, and sleep quality. Despite this increased vulnerability, OSA in menopausal women remains underrecognized and undertreated, in part because women often present with symptoms that differ from the traditional male profile, leading to delays in diagnosis and challenges accessing appropriate care. The overall aims within this dissertation were to: (1) identify clinical considerations, symptom presentations, and treatment approaches relevant to menopausal women with OSA; (2) synthesize and evaluate the current state of the science regarding menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using a scoping review approach; and (3) explore the lived experiences of menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using an embodied phenomenological approach informed by Merleau-Ponty. Findings across these studies illustrate that OSA during menopause is not solely a physiological condition but a multidimensional experience that affects women's bodies, identities, daily rhythms, and relationships. Women described persistent fatigue, cognitive strain, emotional distress, and disruptions to work and family life while navigating clinical pathways that often minimized or misinterpreted their symptoms. Collectively, these findings establish a foundation for future inquiry into how menopausal women experience OSA, potentially explicating their health-related needs and informing how healthcare providers screen, diagnose, treat, and provide ongoing support to these women.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ray, Connie Rene"],"institution":"University of Alabama Libraries","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Henry, Carrie J.","Bartlett, T. 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Despite this increased vulnerability, OSA in menopausal women remains underrecognized and undertreated, in part because women often present with symptoms that differ from the traditional male profile, leading to delays in diagnosis and challenges accessing appropriate care. The overall aims within this dissertation were to: (1) identify clinical considerations, symptom presentations, and treatment approaches relevant to menopausal women with OSA; (2) synthesize and evaluate the current state of the science regarding menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using a scoping review approach; and (3) explore the lived experiences of menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using an embodied phenomenological approach informed by Merleau-Ponty. Findings across these studies illustrate that OSA during menopause is not solely a physiological condition but a multidimensional experience that affects women's bodies, identities, daily rhythms, and relationships. Women described persistent fatigue, cognitive strain, emotional distress, and disruptions to work and family life while navigating clinical pathways that often minimized or misinterpreted their symptoms. Collectively, these findings establish a foundation for future inquiry into how menopausal women experience OSA, potentially explicating their health-related needs and informing how healthcare providers screen, diagnose, treat, and provide ongoing support to these women."]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["electronic"]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Menopausal Women: Evidence, Gaps, and Lived Experiences"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Henry, Carrie J.","Bartlett, T. Robin","Smith, Misty","Thomas, Sandra P."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Bianchi, Ann L."],"dc:creator":["Ray, Connie Rene"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-07-09T13:30:50Z"],"dc:date.available":["2031-05-27"],"dc:date.issued":["2026"],"dc:description":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"dc:description.abstract":["Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has long been viewed as a predominantly male condition; however, the risk of OSA increases significantly during menopause due to hormonal and physiological changes that influence airway stability, ventilatory control, and sleep quality. Despite this increased vulnerability, OSA in menopausal women remains underrecognized and undertreated, in part because women often present with symptoms that differ from the traditional male profile, leading to delays in diagnosis and challenges accessing appropriate care. The overall aims within this dissertation were to: (1) identify clinical considerations, symptom presentations, and treatment approaches relevant to menopausal women with OSA; (2) synthesize and evaluate the current state of the science regarding menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using a scoping review approach; and (3) explore the lived experiences of menopausal women diagnosed with OSA using an embodied phenomenological approach informed by Merleau-Ponty. Findings across these studies illustrate that OSA during menopause is not solely a physiological condition but a multidimensional experience that affects women's bodies, identities, daily rhythms, and relationships. Women described persistent fatigue, cognitive strain, emotional distress, and disruptions to work and family life while navigating clinical pathways that often minimized or misinterpreted their symptoms. Collectively, these findings establish a foundation for future inquiry into how menopausal women experience OSA, potentially explicating their health-related needs and informing how healthcare providers screen, diagnose, treat, and provide ongoing support to these women."],"dc:format.medium":["electronic"],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.other":["1230711"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/18014"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:language.iso":["en_US"],"dc:publisher":["University of Alabama Libraries"],"dc:rights":["All rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated."],"dc:subject":["Menopause","midlife","Obstructive sleep apnea","OSA","sleep disturbances"],"dc:title":["Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Menopausal Women: Evidence, Gaps, and Lived Experiences"],"dc:type":["thesis","text"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T18:44:01Z"}