0569 Breathing Easy Together: How Positive Airway Pressure Adherence Benefits Both Patients and Partners

Abstract Introduction Emerging research highlights the interdependence of sleep within couples and the impact of sleep and sleep disorders on couples’ relationship quality. The current study examines how adherence to positive airway pressure (PAP) as well as sleep duration and efficiency associates with both patient and partners’ relationship quality, among patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and their partners. Methods The sample included OSA patients initiating PAP treatment and their partners (N= 36 couples; mean age = 63.06, SD = 9.15). Mixed model analyses examined actor and partner effects of PAP adherence and actigraphy-assessed sleep duration and efficiency, on patient and partners’ self-reported relationship satisfaction and conflict. Results Greater patient PAP adherence (defined as > 4 hours use per night on average over 3 months of recording) was associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction (B = 4.26; SE = 1.40; p = 0.01) and lower levels of relationship conflict (B = -5.24; SE = 2.51; p = 0.04) for patients and partners. Higher patient sleep efficiency was associated with higher levels of patient and partner reported relationship satisfaction (B = 0.12; SE = .06; p = 0.04). Associations involving sleep duration were significantly different for patients and partners. For patients, greater own total sleep time was significantly associated with higher levels of patients’ relationship satisfaction (B = 0.92; SE = 0.35; p = 0.01) whereas greater partner total sleep time was significantly associated with lower levels of patients’ relationship satisfaction (B = -1.35; SE = 0.67; p = 0.045). After adjusting for patient adherence, the magnitude and direction of these associations were similar but the p-values increased slightly (p = 0.085 for sleep efficiency; p = 0.054, 0.14, 0.12, respectively for sleep duration). Conclusion Results highlight how sleep and sleep disorders are implicated in couples’ relationship quality. Among couples in which one member has sleep apnea, adherence to PAP treatment and better sleep efficiency is associated with higher relationship satisfaction. Recognizing the dyadic implications of sleep and sleep disorders, including the potential impact on relationship quality, may be a powerful motivator to encourage adherence in sleep disorders populations. Support (if any) R21AG067183 (Baron and Troxel)