Identifying barriers to obstructive sleep-disordered breathing care: Parental perspectives

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Sleep Medicine
• Healthcare Disparities
• Public Health

Background:

• Pediatric obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is common, yet disparities in care persist despite established guidelines.
• Parental experiences and perceived barriers to SDB evaluation and treatment are not well-documented.
• Understanding these barriers is crucial for improving equitable access to care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess parental knowledge of childhood SDB and tonsillectomy.
• To identify parent-perceived barriers to obtaining SDB evaluation and treatment for their children.
• To investigate socioeconomic predictors of these barriers.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to parents of children diagnosed with SDB.
• Validated questionnaires included the Barriers to Care Questionnaire and the Obstructive Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Adenotonsillectomy Knowledge Scale for Parents.
• Logistic regression analysis identified predictors of barriers and knowledge.

Main Results:

• Pragmatic challenges, such as appointment availability and healthcare costs, were the most reported barriers.
• Middle-income parents ($26,500-$79,500) had significantly higher odds of reporting barriers compared to higher and lower income tiers.
• Parents whose children underwent tonsillectomy scored an average of 55.7% on the SDB knowledge scale.

Conclusions:

• Practical and financial challenges significantly impede access to pediatric SDB care.
• Middle-income families face disproportionately greater barriers to SDB care.
• Low parental knowledge regarding SDB and tonsillectomy highlights a need for targeted educational interventions to promote equitable care.