Robert Stansbury, M.D., professor in the West Virginia University School of Medicine Department of Medicine, has received notification of continued funding for the research project “A Novel Training Intervention to Improve Provider Management of Sleep Apnea in Rural Communities.”
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded $162,123 for the 2026 fiscal year, which represents year four of the five-year grant totaling $648,695.
The grant supports a mentored career development award focused on improving the management of obstructive sleep apnea in rural communities. The program will provide training in mixed methods research, implementation science, community engaged research, and clinical trials to identify barriers to respiratory care and develop strategies to improve health outcomes.
The research will focus on healthcare disparities affecting rural communities in West Virginia and Appalachia, preparing the investigator to lead an independent research program addressing respiratory health disparities and improving the identification and treatment of sleep apnea in rural populations.
