Driving in Older Age: A Longitudinal Study of Women in Urban, Regional, and Remote Areas and the Impact of Caregiving

Abstract

This study uses data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health to describe the trends in the proportion of older women who drive themselves as their main means of transport, factors associated with giving up driving, and the impact of women's caring roles on driving cessation. Compared to major cities, the odds of driving were 110% higher in outer regional areas, particularly for women carers. This highlights the importance of informed and responsive transport policies to address the needs of older women who are unable to continue driving, those living in rural areas, and women who are carers.

Keywords:

• older women
• aging population
• driving
• caring roles
• rural areas

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research on which this paper is based was conducted as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, The University of Newcastle and The University of Queensland. We are grateful to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing for funding and to the women who provided the survey data.

Researchers in the Faculty of Health at the University of Newcastle are also members of the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Thanks to Cassie Curryer for assistance with manuscript preparation.

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Department did not contribute to the conceptualization or interpretation of this study.