Effect of Self-Management on Improving Sleep Apnea Outcomes

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that is associated with serious medical and psychological complications. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice for this condition because it is highly effective in reducing the frequency of nocturnal respiratory events, improving sleep architecture, decreasing daytime sleepiness and improving blood pressure. Incomplete patient adherence, however, limits the effectiveness of CPAP therapy and results in sub-optimal patient outcomes. Previous efforts to enhance CPAP adherence have resulted in only modest improvements, have generally not been theory-driven, and have had minimal effects on key patient outcomes such as reduction in OSA symptoms or increase in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The planned intervention in this proposal, the Sleep Apnea Self-Management Program (SASMP), is based on the rationale that sleep apnea is a chronic disease that requires significant self-care on the part of the patient. We draw on the extensive chronic disease self-management literature to provide a solid theoretical justification for this pragmatic intervention both to better manage key aspects of OSA and to increase CPAP adherence. Chronic disease management programs help reduce symptoms, improve HRQOL, improve treatment adherence, and decrease medical utilization.