The relationship between CPAP and health literacy: A prospective observational study

Abstract

Abstract Background We aimed to assess differences in health literacy between those who improved CPAP non‐adherent and those who remained non‐adherent. Methods We included patients newly diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome who had started CPAP therapy between February 2019 and October 2020 with ≥6 follow‐up months or who self‐interrupted CPAP therapy <6 months. We recorded the CPAP wearing time after 3 and 6 months. Patients were divided into the CPAP adherent (using CPAP for ≥4 h per night) and non‐adherent (self‐interrupted CPAP therapy/using CPAP for <4 h per night) groups. We compared the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire 47 (HLS‐EU‐Q47) score between those who were CPAP non‐adherent after 3 months and become CPAP adherent after 6 months, and those who remained non‐adherent after 6 months. Results At 3 months, 34 patients were CPAP non‐adherent. After 6 months, there were 7 and 27 patients in the CPAP adherent and non‐adherent groups, respectively. There was a significant difference in the HLS‐EU‐Q47 score between the patients who became adherent to CPAP and who remained non‐adherent after 6 months. Conclusion Previously non‐adherent patients who subsequently became adherent tended to have higher health literacy.

Keywords

• adherence
• CPAP
• health literacy
• HLS‐EU‐Q47
• SAS