Evaluation of an education intervention for Australian health practitioners to support people with dementia with driving decisions: A pretest-posttest survey

Abstract

Objective

Drivers with dementia will at some stage need to stop driving. The timing of driving retirement is informed by the advice of health practitioners, however many find this task complex and challenging as they feel unprepared or lack confidence, having limited training and education on dementia and driving. Few opportunities exist for Australian health practitioners to advance learning about dementia and driving. This study evaluated the impact of a Dementia and Driving Education Module on practitioner self-perceived knowledge, confidence, and competence in supporting people living with dementia with decisions about driving.

Methods

A single group, pretest-posttest survey was conducted for this study. Health practitioners were recruited over 19 months via email and invited to attend a face-to-face dementia and driving workshop. The workshop comprised of a two-hour Dementia and Driving Education Module including seven learning activities incorporating six vignettes, five self-reflections, one case study and a paper copy of a dementia and driving decision aid. Participants completed a survey prior to, immediately after and six weeks post completion of the education module.

Results

A total of 240 health practitioners, from over six disciplines, took part in one of eleven workshops delivered via face-to-face and online across five states of Australia. Significant increases occurred in all outcome measures of perceived knowledge, confidence and competence between baseline and immediately post-education module survey responses and between baseline and six weeks post-survey responses.

Conclusions

The Dementia and Driving Education Module and accompanying decision aid demonstrate an efficacious solution for a diverse range of health practitioners to enhance their knowledge, confidence, and competence in supporting people living with dementia with driving retirement decisions.

Keywords:

• Alzheimer Disease
• aged
• primary health care
• decision support techniques
• automobile driving
• continuing medical education

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the health practitioners who participated in this study. Acknowledgement and appreciation to Dr Chris Bollen who assisted with the development of the education module and facilitation of the South Australian workshop. We acknowledge the support and assistance of workshop facilitators and Professor Marijka Batterham and Dr Mu-Hsing Ho for providing statistical advice.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by Catalyst Foundation, South Australia, and Dementia Training Australia (formally Dementia Training Study Centres) with in kind support from the Primary Health Networks across Australia.