Everyday life for the spouses of patients with untreated OSA syndrome

The aim of this study was to generate a theoretical model describing concerns for spouses of patients with untreated obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and how they manage these concerns in their everyday life. Twelve spouses were interviewed about their experiences and how they manage everyday life. The interviews were analysed according to the Grounded Theory method as described by Strauss and Corbin. Two main categories emerged from the data: 'Social adjustment' and 'New feelings'. 'Social adjustment' reveals how the spouses made adjustments in their daily lives, both according to their partners' tiredness and owing to their own fatigue. 'New feelings' reveals emotional reactions related to the effects of their partner's illness and the impact it had on the spouse's everyday life. These two main categories could be seen in relation to four dimensions describing how the spouses manage their everyday life: 'Sacrificing', 'Controlling', 'Changing' and 'Understanding'. The results show how the spouses made adjustments in everyday life and how their feelings were affected by their partner's OSAS. Healthcare personnel could use information from this study to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of what spouses of untreated patients with OSAS experience as their main concerns and how they manage their everyday life. This knowledge can be used to improve the support to the spouses, as well as in the educational situation concerning the illness, as well as the treatment.