Interrelationship between Daytime Functional Outcomes and Psychological Distress in Patients with Obstructive Sleep...

Area of Science:

• Sleep Medicine
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to impaired daytime function and increased psychological stress.
• The specific burden of OSA in the Vietnamese population is not well understood.
• This study investigates functional outcomes and psychological distress in untreated Vietnamese OSA patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze sleep-related functional outcomes in untreated Vietnamese patients with OSA.
• To assess the prevalence of psychological stress, including depression, anxiety, and stress, in this population.
• To examine the relationship between functional impairment and psychological distress.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 61 untreated Vietnamese patients diagnosed with OSA.
• Utilized the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ-10) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21).
• Employed descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and generalized linear models for analysis.

Main Results:

• The majority of participants had severe OSA (mean AHI 47.5 events/h).
• High prevalence of moderate or higher psychological distress was observed: depression (22.9%), anxiety (54.1%), and stress (18.0%).
• Lower FOSQ-10 scores consistently correlated with higher DASS-21 scores, indicating a link between functional impairment and psychological distress.

Conclusions:

• Untreated Vietnamese OSA patients exhibit significant psychological distress, particularly anxiety, linked to functional impairment.
• There is a strong association between reduced quality of life and elevated psychological distress.
• Routine assessment for functional impairment and psychological distress is recommended for OSA patients.