@article{ref1,
title="Effect of navigation problems, assessment location, and a practice test on driving assessment performance for people with Alzheimer's disease",
journal="Journal of Alzheimer's disease",
year="2019",
author="Unsworth, Carolyn A. and Russell, Kay and Lovell, Robin and Woodward, Michael and Browne, Matthew",
volume="67",
number="3",
pages="1035-1043",
abstract="BACKGROUND: People with Alzheimer's disease may be required to undertake clinical and on-road assessments to determine fitness to drive. The manner in which on-road assessments are conducted with drivers who do and do not have navigational problems may affect the outcome. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: Investigate the effect of 1) navigational difficulties, 2) location of assessment (un/familiar area) and assessment order, and 3) undertaking a second assessment (practice), on passing an on-road driving assessment. <br><br>METHODS: Forty-three drivers undertook an Occupational Therapy-Driver Assessment Off Road Assessment (OT-DORA) Battery which included the Drive Home Maze Test (DHMT). Participants with/without a history of navigational problems were randomly allocated into three groups: 1) Unfamiliar/then familiar area assessment; 2) Unfamiliar/unfamiliar; 3) familiar/unfamiliar. An on-road assessment protocol was used including over 100 expected behaviors at nominated points along the directed route. For familiar area assessments, the driver self-navigated from their home to shops and services. A pass/fail decision was made for each assessment. <br><br>RESULTS: A generalized linear mixed effects model showed neither location, nor practice affected passing the on-road assessment. Participants with navigational problems were six times less likely to pass regardless of route familiarity and direction method, and the DHMT was a significant negative predictor of passing. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Drivers with Alzheimer's disease who have navigational problems and are slow to complete the DHMT are unlikely to pass an on-road assessment. However, navigation and maze completion skills may be a proxy for an underlying cognitive skill underpinning driving performance.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1387-2877",
doi="10.3233/JAD-181069",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/JAD-181069"
}