Driving Errors in Parkinson’s Disease: Moving Closer to Predicting On-Road Outcomes

Authors

Sherrilene Classen, School of Occupational Therapy, Elborn CollegeFollow
Babetter Brumback, Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville
Miriam Monahan, Department of Occupational Therapy and Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation, University of Florida, GainesvilleFollow
Irene I. Malaty, Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville
Ramon L. Rodriguez, Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville
Michael S. Okun, Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville
Nikolaus R. McFarland, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville

Document Type

Article

Source

American Journal of Occupational Therapy

ISSN

0272-9490

Volume

68

Issue

1

First Page

77

Last Page

85

Publication Date

2014

Department

Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Age-related medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) compromise driver fitness. Results from studies are unclear on the specific driving errors that underlie passing or failing an on-road assessment. In this study, we determined the between-group differences and quantified the on-road driving errors that predicted pass or fail on-road outcomes in 101 drivers with PD (mean age 5 69.38 ± 7.43) and 138 healthy control (HC) drivers (mean age 5 71.76 ± 5.08). Participants with PD had minor differences in demographics and driving habits and history but made more and different driving errors than HC participants. Drivers with PD failed the on-road test to a greater extent than HC drivers (41% vs. 9%), x2(1) 5 35.54, HC N 5 138, PD N 5 99, p < .001. The driving errors predicting on-road pass or fail outcomes (95% confidence interval, Nagelkerke R2 5.771) were made in visual scanning, signaling, vehicle positioning, speeding (mainly underspeeding, t (61) 5 7.004, p < .001, and total errors. Although it is difficult to predict on-road outcomes, this study provides a foundation for doing so.

Rights

Copyright © 2014 American Occupational Therapy Association. All rights reserved.

PubMed ID

24367958