Return-to-driving expectations following mild traumatic brain injury

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Author(s)
Preece, Megan
M. Geffen, Gina
S. Horswill, Mark
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2013
Metadata
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Aim: Although individuals recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) could pose a risk to road safety, little is known about their intentions regarding return-to-driving. Reported are the expectations of a sample of emergency department patients with MTBI regarding their recovery and return-to-driving. Method: Eighty-one patients with MTBI were recruited from an emergency department. Participants completed an 11-item questionnaire measuring expectations regarding recovery from injury; five of the items addressed return-to-driving. Results: Only 48% of the sample intended to reduce their driving following their ...
View more >Aim: Although individuals recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) could pose a risk to road safety, little is known about their intentions regarding return-to-driving. Reported are the expectations of a sample of emergency department patients with MTBI regarding their recovery and return-to-driving. Method: Eighty-one patients with MTBI were recruited from an emergency department. Participants completed an 11-item questionnaire measuring expectations regarding recovery from injury; five of the items addressed return-to-driving. Results: Only 48% of the sample intended to reduce their driving following their injury. However, those that did intend to reduce their driving nominated a mean duration of 16.59 days (SD?=?31.68) of reduced exposure. A logistic regression found that previous head injury experience and an interaction between pain and previous head injury experience predicted intentions to reduce driving. Similarly, a multiple regression revealed that pain level contributed significantly to the variance in time estimates of return-to-driving. Conclusion: The finding that half the individuals recovering from MTBI do not intend to moderate their driving exposure post-injury is cause for concern, as another study has shown that driving performance is compromised in this group immediately after injury.
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View more >Aim: Although individuals recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) could pose a risk to road safety, little is known about their intentions regarding return-to-driving. Reported are the expectations of a sample of emergency department patients with MTBI regarding their recovery and return-to-driving. Method: Eighty-one patients with MTBI were recruited from an emergency department. Participants completed an 11-item questionnaire measuring expectations regarding recovery from injury; five of the items addressed return-to-driving. Results: Only 48% of the sample intended to reduce their driving following their injury. However, those that did intend to reduce their driving nominated a mean duration of 16.59 days (SD?=?31.68) of reduced exposure. A logistic regression found that previous head injury experience and an interaction between pain and previous head injury experience predicted intentions to reduce driving. Similarly, a multiple regression revealed that pain level contributed significantly to the variance in time estimates of return-to-driving. Conclusion: The finding that half the individuals recovering from MTBI do not intend to moderate their driving exposure post-injury is cause for concern, as another study has shown that driving performance is compromised in this group immediately after injury.
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Journal Title
Brain Injury
Volume
27
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2013 Informa Healthcare. This is an electronic version of an article published in Brain Injury, Vol. 27(1), 2013, pp. 83-91. Brain Injury is available online at: http://informahealthcare.com with the open URL of your article.
Subject
Biological Psychology (Neuropsychology, Psychopharmacology, Physiological Psychology)
Medical and Health Sciences
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences