Background: Despite its current recognition as a major health concern, little has been published about obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) as a health problem in public healthcare systems where limited resources, language and cultural differences may present barriers to detection and treatment.
Objective: To describe patients referred for suspected OSAS in a large county-funded healthcare system.
Method: A retrospective, descriptive observational study that included all patients referred for an OSAS evaluation between September 2000 and September 2002.
Results: Only 123 patients were referred and 115 completed an evaluation during the two-year period: 99% met OSAS diagnostic criteria, which was severe in 79% and frequently complicated by related comorbid conditions. CPAP acceptance was lower than in the previous series, especially among Hispanics.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that referral for OSAS evaluation was limited to those most severely affected and raise the possibility of underdetection and undertreatment in the ublic sector.