Older drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crash fatalities. As the U.S. population continues to age, this problem will grow. Health care providers (HCPs) are in a position to provide their older patients with education which may prevent further motor vehicle fatalities. Rural older adults are more likely to equate driving with mobility and quality of life due to a lack of alternative transportation options, often leading them to continue driving longer. This study sought to compare the frequency of mobility counseling provision among rural and urban HCPs to older adults, in addition to determining barriers to providing this information. Surveys were administered to HCPs and older adults in rural and urban areas in the upper Midwest. Older adults in general received little counseling from their HCPs in regard to driving safety or driving cessation, with a majority of respondents having never received any information on this topic. Frequency of mobility counseling provision related to driving cessation as offered by HCPs in general increased with patient age. Rural HCPs were less likely than their urban counterparts to provide this type of information to their patients. One of the greatest barriers HCPs listed to providing mobility counseling was the lack of time during a patient visit. Rural HCPs were also less likely than urban HCPs to feel there are adequate resources for older drivers in their communities, and were less likely to know where to refer their patients in need of testing for their fitness for continued driving. (Author/publisher)
Abstract