Self-Efficacy and Short-Term Adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment in Children

Infants, children, and adolescents are increasingly being prescribed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), yet adherence is often poor. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver and patient-reported health cognitions about CPAP prior to starting CPAP and CPAP adherence at 1 month. We hypothesized that greater caregiver-reported self-efficacy would be positively associated with CPAP adherence in children. We also evaluated patient-reported self-efficacy and caregiver- and patient-reported risk perception and outcome expectations as they related to adherence, as well as how demographic factors influenced these relationships.

A pediatric modification of the Self-Efficacy Measure for Sleep Apnea Questionnaire was administered to children and adolescents with OSAS-prescribed CPAP and their caregivers during the clinical CPAP-initiation visit. The primary outcome variable for adherence was the average total minutes of CPAP usage across all days from the date that CPAP was initiated to 31 days later.

Unadjusted ordinary least-square regression showed a significant association between caregiver-reported self-efficacy and adherence (p = .007), indicating that mean daily CPAP usage increased by 48.4 minutes when caregiver-reported self-efficacy increased by one point (95% confidence interval 13.4-83.4 minutes). No other caregiver- or patient-reported cognitive health variables were related to CPAP use.

This study indicates that caregiver CPAP-specific self-efficacy is an important factor to consider when starting youth on CPAP therapy for OSAS. Employing strategies to improve caregiver self-efficacy, beginning at CPAP initiation, may promote CPAP adherence.