Evaluating adherence to continuous positive airway pressure therapy in children with sleep-disordered breathing

The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the experience of caregivers and their children who were using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and to examine barriers to treatment adherence through multiple perspectives (i.e., caregiver, child and medical team). The study also aimed to provide recommendations to improve care received by families being served by the Sleep Disorders Center (SDC). The family sample consisted of 15 caregivers and their children who were using CPAP as a treatment for SDB. The medical team sample included nine clinicians who were responsible for treating the children with SDB. Procedures consisted of caregiver interviews, child and medical team focus groups and supplementary data. Interviews and focus groups were analyzed using the constant comparative method for producing emergent-grounded theory. In summary, the results of this study demonstrated that adhering to CPAP is especially challenging in children and interventions designed to promote CPAP adherence need to be family-based, ongoing and multi-faceted. Given the potential for high emotional costs to CPAP use for both the parent and child, care needs to focus on maximizing the benefits of CPAP use.