Semistructured Motivational Interviews of Patients and Caregivers to Improve CPAP Adherence: A Qualitative Analysis

The aim of this qualitative analysis was to identify obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients' preferences, partner experiences, barriers and facilitators to positive airway pressure (PAP) adherence, and to assess understanding of the educational content delivered and satisfaction with the multidimensionally structured intervention.

A qualitative analysis was conducted on 28 interventional arm patients with a new diagnosis of OSA. They received a one-on-two semistructured motivational interview as the last part of a 60- to 90-minute in-person educational group intervention. The 10- to 15-minute interview with the patient and caregiver was patient-centered and focused on obtaining the personal and emotional history and providing support. We also assessed understanding of the OSA training plan, their commitment to it, and their goals for it.

We identified four themes: OSA symptom and diagnosis, using the PAP machine, perceptions about the group visit, and factors that determine adherence to PAP. Patients experienced positive, negative, or mixed emotions during the journey from symptoms of OSA to PAP adherence.

Our findings suggest that patients' and caregivers' positive experiences of PAP could be enhanced by a patient-centered interaction and that it was important to explicitly address their fears and concerns to further enhance use of PAP. Not only could caregiver support play a role in improving PAP adherence but also the peer coaching session has the potential of providing a socially supportive environment in motivating adherence to PAP treatment.