Overview
The goal of the study is to determine the feasibility of a behavioral intervention to improve CPAP adherence among African American patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Description
The Investigators propose to pilot test a couple-oriented intervention in a randomized controlled trial of 20 African American patients diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA and their partners. Half of the patients will receive optimal usual care currently implemented at MetroHealth, consisting of sleep therapist-initiated standardized education about OSA, sleep hygiene, and CPAP use; personalized mask fittings; and follow-up at 1 week to troubleshoot problems with CPAP utilization. Participants will follow up with their sleep providers per usual. The remaining patients and their bed partners will receive a couple-oriented intervention consisting of guideline-recommended best practices for improving CPAP adherence consisting of sleep therapist-initiated standardized education for couples about OSA, sleep hygiene, and CPAP use; personalized mask fittings; and follow-up at 1 week to troubleshoot problems with CPAP utilization. Couples will participate in two couple-oriented support groups led by an African American patient with long standing OSA treated with CPAP and their partner. Patients and partners will receive tailored text messages encouraging adherence. In addition, couples will receive five 60-minute virtual cognitive behavioral couple therapy sessions with a health psychologist trained in behavioral sleep medicine that will focus on enhancing couples' knowledge of CPAP, patients' self-efficacy to use CPAP, couple's relationship dynamics, and partners' skill and self-efficacy in assisting the patient with CPAP adherence.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Must have same bed partner(s) for at least 6 months.
- Must be at least 18 years of age
Exclusion Criteria:
- Must be Proficient in speaking English
- Non-compliance to management of OSA
- Apnea hypopnea Index ≥ 15 events/hours
- Terminally ill
- Mentally incompetent
- unstable housing
- need for BPAP or VPAP\PAP).