Abstract
To assess the effectiveness of culturally and linguistically tailored, peer-delivered obstructive sleep apnea education and of social support to increase adherence to physician-recommended obstructive sleep apnea evaluation among blacks. In a two-arm randomised controlled trial, we ascertained the effectiveness of peer-delivered obstructive sleep apnea education in increasing obstructive sleep apnea evaluation among 319 blacks at risk of obstructive sleep apnea (intervention = 159 and control = 160); their average age was 47 ± 12.9 years, and 41% were male. Obstructive sleep apnea risk was assessed with the Apnea Risk Evaluation System questionnaire, administered in community venues. Participants in the intervention arm received tailored obstructive sleep apnea education during a 6 month period; those in the control arm received standard sleep and healthy lifestyle information. Analysis focussed on the effectiveness of peer-delivered obstructive sleep apnea education on adherence to obstructive sleep apnea evaluation, but also considered the role of psychosocial factors. The results showed no significant differences in baseline demographic and clinical measures when contrasting participants in the study arms. The adherence rates for home-based obstructive sleep apnea evaluation in the intervention and control arms were 45.9% and 45.6%, respectively. Overall, participants in both study arms (adherers) who underwent obstructive sleep apnea evaluations were likely to experience a greater level of social support (8.2 ± 2.4 vs. 7.3 ± 2.4; p = 0.06). Moreover, adherers showed greater psychosocial scores (i.e., Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep scale, Apnea Beliefs Scale (ABS) (and Apnea Knowledge) compared with non-adherers (6.0 ± 1.8 vs. 4.9 ± 2.2; p = 0.02; 77.0 ± 7.1 vs. 73.2 ± 7.4; p = 0.04, and 6.4 ± 3.1 vs. 7.6 ± 2.4; p = 0.06, respectively). The results of the present randomised controlled trial favoured a potential role of peer-based social support and psychosocial factors, associated with obstructive sleep apnea adherence behaviour.