This paper compares the predictive value of the cognitive test battery developed at the Stroke Research Unit, City Hospital, Nottingham with existing assessment procedures. Subjects were referred from 3 stroke units (Mansfield, Nottingham and Lincoln). Those who had been driving in the three months before the stroke, a minimum of 10 weeks previously, and had a full driving licence were considered. After a road test in a dual controlled, automatic vehicle on a set route around public roads, subjects were graded by the instructor into pass or fail groups. Subjects were then randomly allocated into two groups, one of which was tested on the stroke drivers screening assessment. In this group scores from the three tasks were used to predict the likelihood of passing a road test. Details of the tests were sent to the subjects doctors with recommendations as to the fitness to drive. The control group was just instructed to request the advice of their general practitioner. After six months subjects were contacted to ascertain the decisions on fitness to drive. The two types of assessment, cognitive and standard procedure were compared to determine which assessment method agreed most closely with the performance on the road tests. The results indicate that the stroke drivers screening assessment correctly predicted road performance significantly better than the standard procedure and that this was not due to chance.
Samenvatting