Factors associated with adherence to provider evaluation in patients at-risk for OSA identified by preanesthesia screening.

OBJECTIVE

To examine associations between adherence to a provider's recommendation for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) evaluation and health-related factors in at-risk adults in the perianesthesia setting.

METHODS

Pilot observational study of adults at-risk for OSA who received OSA risk notification and recommendation for further evaluation after an outpatient perianesthesia encounter. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of adherence to a provider's recommendation for OSA evaluation at 6-weeks post-procedure.

RESULTS

Eight of 63 participants adhered to a provider's recommendation for OSA evaluation. Perceived likelihood of having OSA, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and functional impairment related to sleepiness predicted adherence in unadjusted analyses and greater daytime sleepiness predicted adherence in forward stepwise regression (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Daytime sleepiness strongly predicts OSA evaluation uptake among adults positively screened as at-risk for OSA in the perianesthesia setting. It remains unclear how other sleep-related symptoms and theoretical constructs predict OSA care-seeking in this population.