O039 Access to sleep health services for Indigenous children in the Northern Territory of Australia

Abstract

Abstract Paediatric sleep disorders have significant impacts on physical and mental health, growth and development. Indigenous children may be further impacted due to high prevalence of other medical conditions, socioeconomic disparity and reduced access to healthcare. In 2016, a local paediatric sleep service in the Northern Territory (NT) was created. We assessed demographics and referral patterns of Indigenous and non-Indigenous paediatric patients referred to this service. Paediatric patients referred for a sleep study between 2016- 2020 were included. Demographics, referral source, time from consult to study and follow up were assessed and compared between Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients. There were 923 children referred for sleep studies. Indigenous patients made up 20%. Indigenous patients were older (median 7 vs. 5 years) and more likely to live remotely (24% vs. 10%). Most Indigenous patients were referred from the public hospital system (62%) and by a paediatrician (56%); while most non-Indigenous patients were referred from the private system (56%) and by an otorhinolaryngologist (55%). Indigenous patients had a median 33 days between referral and initial consult compared with 21 days for non-Indigenous patients (p<0.05). Reviews were scheduled for 81% of Indigenous and 77% of non-Indigenous patients, of which 6% and 2% respectively did not attend. Indigenous patients showed different demographic and referral patterns to non-Indigenous patients. Despite improvements made to sleep service access for NT Indigenous children; there are still barriers to treatment. Reasons for this and ways to overcome these barriers are important for the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people.