A Survey on Driving in Clients With Mental Health Disorders

Abstract

Few studies have explored driving issues in adult mental health. In this pilot study, 48 drivers were compared to 24 participants who had ceased driving, on their clinical and driving characteristics. Driving-related services offered to them were also documented. Participants who had stopped driving were more likely to be in-patients on antipsychotic or several medications. A third of the participants reported negative effects of their illness and/or medications on driving. Psychiatrists and occupational therapists offered assessments and recommendations related to fitness to drive to 30% of their clients using complementary approaches. This survey indicates that few drivers with mental health disorders receive driving-related services. More evidence-based practice guidelines are needed.

KEYWORDS:

• assessment
• driving
• medication
• mental health disorders
• occupational therapy
• psychiatry

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank the following staff of the Jewish General Hospital-Sir Mortimer B. Davis: Dr. Michael Bond, Chief of the Psychiatry department, for his support of research in occupational therapy in mental health, Dr. Phyllis Zelkowitz, Director of the Research division of the Psychiatry department, for her advice and recommendations throughout the project, and Michael Buonvino, research assistant for the Research division of the Psychiatry department, for his help with the statistical analysis.

Notes

*Statistically significant difference at p < 0.05.

Results of this survey were presented in Canada at the: The 7th Workshop for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, Ottawa, 2007.