Edinburgh Napier University

  Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has significant implications for a person’s health, wellbeing and occupational engagement, but has received almost no attention from occupational therapists.
Method: This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore nine people’s experience of living with OSA. The Occupational Performance History Interview-II was used to collect data. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.
Findings: Through thematic analysis, one core theme was identified: ‘OSA is a life-changing condition’. From this, five subthemes emerged: the impact of OSA on (i) occupational participation, (ii) psychological wellbeing, (iii) relationships, (iv)
executive functioning and (v) treatment issues. These findings reveal a myriad of difficulties in daily life and occupational performance. In addition, they highlight the potentially serious implications for individuals living with sleep disorders.
Conclusion: From this study, it is clear people with OSA face challenges with their daily life and occupational engagement. This suggests an important role for occupational therapy in empowering people to manage their condition. Further research is warranted examining sleep and occupational performance, and education on sleep and sleep hygiene for practice.