The effects of social support and support types on continuous positive airway pressure use after 1month of therapy among adults with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: The relationship between perceived social support and continuous positive airway pressure remains understudied among individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to determine if baseline perceived social support and subtypes predict regular continuous positive airway pressure use after 1month of therapy.

Methods: Adults with obstructive sleep apnea initiating continuous positive airway pressure therapy were recruited from sleep clinics in New York City.

Discrimination Predicts Suboptimal Adherence to CPAP Treatment and Mediates Black-White Differences in Use.

Background: Although racial and ethnic differences in CPAP adherence for OSA are widely established, no studies have examined the influence of perceived racial discrimination on CPAP usage, to our knowledge.

Research Question: (1) Do Black adults with OSA report experiencing greater amounts of discrimination than non-Hispanic White adults? (2) Is discrimination associated with poorer CPAP adherence over time, independent of self-identified race? (3) Does discrimination mediate the relationship between self-identified Black race and CPAP usage?

Study Design And Methods: In this prospective study, Black and non-Hispanic White adults with OSA initiating CPAP were enrolled from two sleep centers and completed questionnaires including sociodemographics, perceived discrimination, daytime sleepiness, insomnia symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Perceived discrimination was measured using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS).

Mediating effects of body mass index, physical activity, and emotional distress on the relationship between short sleep and cardiovascular disease.

The current study investigated the mediating effects of body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and emotional distress on the association between short sleep duration (<7 hours per 24-hour period) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factors.We used data from the National Health Interview Survey, an ongoing nationally representative cross-sectional study of noninstitutionalized US adults (≥18 years) from 2004 to 2013 (N = 206,049). Participants provided information about anthropometric features (height and weight), sociodemographic factors, health behaviors (smoking and physical activity), emotional distress, and physician-diagnosed health conditions, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and cancer.

Effect of Expectation of Care on Adherence to Antihypertensive Medications Among Hypertensive Blacks: Analysis of the Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) Trial.

Novel ideas are needed to increase adherence to antihypertensive medication. The current study used data from the Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) study, a sample of 442 hypertensive African Americans, to investigate the mediating effects of expectation of hypertension care, social support, hypertension knowledge, and medication adherence, adjusting for age, sex, number of medications, diabetes, education, income, employment, insurance status, and intervention. Sixty-six percent of patients had an income of $20,000 or less and 56% had a high school education or less, with a mean age of 57 years.