The relationship between CPAP and health literacy: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess differences in health literacy between those who improved CPAP non‐adherent and those who remained non‐adherent. METHODS: We included patients newly diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome who had started CPAP therapy between February 2019 and October 2020 with ≥6 follow‐up months or who self‐interrupted CPAP therapy <6 months. We recorded the CPAP wearing time after 3 and 6 months. Patients were divided into the CPAP adherent (using CPAP for ≥4 h per night) and non‐adherent (self‐interrupted CPAP therapy/using CPAP for <4 h per night) groups. We compared the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire 47 (HLS‐EU‐Q47) score between those who were CPAP non‐adherent after 3 months and become CPAP adherent after 6 months, and those who remained non‐adherent after 6 months. RESULTS: At 3 months, 34 patients were CPAP non‐adherent. After 6 months, there were 7 and 27 patients in the CPAP adherent and non‐adherent groups, respectively. There was a significant difference in the HLS‐EU‐Q47 score between the patients who became adherent to CPAP and who remained non‐adherent after 6 months. CONCLUSION: Previously non‐adherent patients who subsequently became adherent tended to have higher health literacy.