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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To examine assessment outcomes and factors associated with passing an occupational therapy (OT) on-road driver assessment, after traumatic brain injury (TBI).
DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of outcomes of on-road driver assessments completed by persons with a TBI over an eight year period. SETTING: Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of 207 individuals with mild to severe TBI, who completed an on-road driver assessment and were assessed at least 3 months post injury. INTERVENTION: Not applicable MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome of on-road driver assessment RESULTS: Sixty-six percent of TBI drivers (n=137) passed the initial on-road driver assessment (pass group), while 34% (n=70) required on-road driver rehabilitation and/or one or more on-road assessments (rehabilitation group). After driver rehabilitation, only 3 of this group did not resume driving. Participants who were male, had shorter posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) duration, no physical and/or visual impairment, as well as faster reaction times were significantly more likely to be in the pass group. In combination, these variables correctly classified 87.6% of the pass group and 71.2 % of the rehabilitation group.
CONCLUSIONS: PTA duration, proved to be a better predictor of driver assessment outcome than Glasgow coma scale score and in combination with the presence of physical/visual impairment and slowed reaction times, could assist clinicians to determine referral. criteria for OT driver assessment. On-road driver rehabilitation, followed by on-road re-assessments were associated with a high probability of return to driving after TBI.
Language: en |