Participation in Sleep Europe Conferences: Insights From Early Career Professionals

Presenting at international conferences is integral for early career professionals' career development by facilitating knowledge exchange, collaboration and visibility. Nevertheless, the barriers and enablers which influence participation among this demographic remain unclear, hampering the establishment of concrete measures to support attendance. This study examined factors affecting participation in European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) conferences, particularly among early career professionals. Ninety-seven participants (71% female; mean age = 36.5 ± 8.9 years) completed a mixed-methods online survey, which was distributed among ESRS members and broader professional networks. Early career professionals (81.2%) were defined as MSc/PhD students, early-career postdoctoral researchers or clinicians. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses enabled identifying key barriers, accessibility concerns and recommendations for inclusivity. Financial barriers were the most cited barrier (66%), followed by caregiving responsibilities (11%), accessibility concerns (10%) and visa difficulties (9%). Although 9% of respondents reported safety concerns related to the host country's environment impaired their attendance, qualitative data indicated that such concerns extended beyond general security issues to anticipated discrimination, exclusion and lack of social or political protection. Eighty-nine percent indicated that virtual participation would facilitate attendance in situations involving last-minute illness, visa delays, funding gaps or caregiving responsibilities. These findings suggest that financial and structural inequities are key barriers to participation in ESRS conferences. Whilst hybrid presentation modes, differential registration fees and funding schemes are already in place, greater visibility and promotion of these initiatives is necessary to ensure equitable engagement in sleep conferences.