Abstract

Background
Sleep‑related breathing disorders, including obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and insomnia, are common yet significantly under‑diagnosed in the UK. It is estimated that up to 80% of those with OSA and up to 15% of those with insomnia remain undiagnosed. Traditional recruitment and case‑finding approaches may fail to engage individuals with unrecognised symptoms. Social media platforms offer a potentially scalable route to reach wider populations and raise awareness of sleep health.

Aim
To assess the feasibility and acceptability of using social media platforms to recruit adult UK participants to complete a short online sleep screening study in Jotform and to describe symptom profiles among respondents.

Methods
AWAKE‑CHECK is a prospective observational study recruiting adults via social media platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Social media posts on these platforms direct participants to an online screening survey hosted on Jotform, collecting demographic data, sleep‑related symptoms, and established risk factors for possible sleep apnoea and insomnia. The AWAKE‑CHECK screening tool incorporates the validated STOP‑BANG questionnaire and the Insomnia Severity Index. Recruitment metrics, including social media reach, engagement, and survey completion rates, will be analysed. Participant‑reported symptoms will be descriptively analysed to explore potential risk patterns within the study population.

Outcomes
Primary outcomes include recruitment feasibility, participant engagement, and public interaction with social media‑based recruitment. Secondary outcomes include the prevalence of self‑reported sleep‑related symptoms suggestive of sleep‑related breathing disorders.

Conclusion
To date, AWAKE‑CHECK has recruited 2,250 participants towards a target of 5,000 UK adults. The study aims to evaluate social media as a pragmatic recruitment strategy for sleep health research. Findings will inform future studies and support the development of accessible approaches to earlier identification of common sleep‑related breathing disorders, including sleep apnoea and insomnia.