title: Factors affecting the decision to be treated with continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, accidents and high medical expenses. The first line of treatment for OSAS is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine attitudes and beliefs as well as physiological and sociodemographic factors affecting OSA patients' decision whether or not to purchase a CPAP device.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was divided into two stages; in the first, 83 subjects completed self-administered questionnaires prior to sleep examination (polysomnography, PSG). The questionnaires related to sleep habits, sleep disorders, questions organized around health belief model (HBM) concepts, sociodemographic information, health status and PSG examination. In the second stage, 3 months later, 50 OSAS patients were interviewed by telephone, which included questions about their reasons for purchasing/not purchasing the CPAP device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 48% of the OSAS patients purchased the CPAP device. The significant factors positively affecting the decision included higher levels of physiological factors such as body mass index (coefficient 0.36, P < 0.05) and respiratory disturbance index (coefficient 0.16, P < 0.05), higher income levels (coefficient 3.26, P < 0.05), and higher levels of knowledge about OSAS (coefficient -2.98, P < 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals who are more aware of their own health condition, are better informed about OSAS and have higher incomes are more likely to purchase the device. We suggest reducing the level of co-payment and providing patients with more information about the severe effects of OSAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, Israel. orna@yvc.ac.il
authors.forename: Orna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tzischinsky
authors.forename: Shosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahrabani
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peled
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires