scholarly journals Do Memory Problems in Older Drivers Impact Driving Frequency in Metro Versus Non-Metro Communities?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 156-156
Author(s):  
Tyler Orr ◽  
Randall Rupper
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Driving Frequency ◽  
Functional Activities ◽  
Memory Problems ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Impact Driving ◽  
Poor Memory

Abstract Perceived memory problems may cause older adults to limit functional activities such as driving. For those individuals living in non-metropolitan communities, greater distances between activities, lack of public transportation, and fewer support systems may make reducing driving frequency less feasible. We hypothesized that older adults in non-metropolitan communities would be more likely to continue frequent driving even if they also perceived memory problems. We used the National Health and Aging Trends Study to examine the association between reported memory difficulty and the frequency of driving. These data were then stratified by metropolitan versus non-metropolitan classification using both ordinal logistic regression and Chi-Squared testing. In both metropolitan and non-metropolitan communities, respondents were more likely to report reductions in driving frequency if they also reported memory problems. However, in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan communities, the majority of respondents reporting fair or poor memory continued to report frequent driving; and, there were no statistical differences in frequency of reported driving between metropolitan and non-metropolitan respondents. These analyses suggest that strategies are necessary in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas to help older drivers with perceived memory difficulties to recognize when they need to limit driving. Further research is necessary to determine which strategies are likely to be effective in metropolitan and/or non-metropolitan communities.

scholarly journals Environmental Characteristics Associated with Older Adults’ Social Participation: The Contribution of Sociodemography and Transportation in Metropolitan, Urban, and Rural Areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8399
Author(s):  
Mélanie Levasseur ◽  
Daniel Naud ◽  
Jean-François Bruneau ◽  
Mélissa Généreux
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Deprivation ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Environmental Characteristics

Although social participation fosters older adults’ health, little is known about which environmental characteristics are related to greater participation in social activities. The Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 2737), a transportation survey, and multiple secondary data sources were used to identify the environmental characteristics associated with older Quebecers’ social participation according to living area. Greater social participation was associated with: (1) a higher concentration of older adults (IRR = 2.172 (95% CI 1.600, 2.948); p < 0.001), more kilometers traveled by paratransit (IRR = 1.714 (95% CI 1.286, 2.285); p < 0.01), a lack of medical clinics (IRR = 0.730 (95% CI 0.574, 0.930); p = 0.01), and more funded home adaptations (IRR = 1.170 (95% CI 1.036, 1.320); p = 0.01) in large metropolitan areas; (2) larger paratransit fleets (IRR = 1.368 (95% CI 1.044, 1.791); p = 0.02) and a lower density of road intersections (IRR = 0.862 (95% CI 0.756, 0.982); p = 0.03) in regular metropolitan areas; (3) less social deprivation (IRR = 1.162 (95% CI 1.025, 1.318); p = 0.02) in urban areas; and (4) a higher concentration of older populations (IRR = 2.386 (95% CI 1.817, 3.133); p < 0.001) in rural areas. According to these findings, social participation interventions should target the local environment—for example, by providing more social interaction opportunities for older adults living in younger neighborhoods and by improving access to public transportation, especially paratransit.

The Social Context of Driving Cessation: Understanding the Effects of Cessation on the Life Satisfaction of Older Drivers and Their Social Partners

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 1661-1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Schryer ◽  
Kathrin Boerner ◽  
Amy Horowitz ◽  
Joann P. Reinhardt ◽  
Steven E. Mock
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Driving Cessation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Partners

Older adults with vision loss and a friend or family member were interviewed over a 2-year period. We examined the effects of driving cessation on life satisfaction among older adults and a social contact. Drivers’ use of public transportation was examined as a moderator. Driving cessation was associated with a decline in life satisfaction among social partners but not for the drivers. Drivers’ use of public transportation at baseline moderated the effects of cessation on changes in well-being among social partners, but had little effect on the life satisfaction of the drivers. Life satisfaction was greater among the social partners of ex-drivers who used public transportation more frequently. The association between driving cessation and well-being should be studied in the context of older drivers’ social networks. Infrastructure (e.g., subways and buses) that supports transportation needs plays an important role in mitigating the effects of cessation on older adults’ social networks.

scholarly journals The Predictors of Driving Cessation among Older Drivers in Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7206
Author(s):  
SeolHwa Moon ◽  
Kyongok Park
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Driving Cessation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Metro System

Background: As the elderly population and the number of older drivers grow, public safety concerns about traffic accidents involving older drivers are increasing. Approaches to reduce traffic accidents involving older drivers without limiting their mobility are needed. This study aimed to investigate the driving cessation (DC) rate among older Korean adults and predictors of DC based on the comprehensive mobility framework. Method: In this cross-sectional study, data from 2970 to 10,062 older adults over 65 years old from the 2017 National Survey of Elderly People were analyzed in April 2020. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of DC. Results: Residential area, an environmental factor, was a strong predictor of DC (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.21, 95% Confidential Interval (CI) 1.86–2.62). Older drivers living in an area with a metro system were 2.21 more likely to stop driving than those living in an area without a metro system. Other demographic, financial, psychosocial, physical, and cognitive variables also predicted DC. Conclusion: Environmental factors were strong predictors of older adults’ DC. Therefore, political and environmental support, such as the provision of accessible public transportation, is essential to increase the DC rate among older adults to increase public safety without decreasing their mobility.

scholarly journals Balancing Mobility and Driving Safety: Facilitators and Barriers for Driving Frequency Among Older Drivers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 464-464
Author(s):  
Jiawei Cao ◽  
Jonathon Vivoda
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Productive Aging ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Word Recall ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Driving Frequency ◽  
Study Results

Abstract Being able to drive safely ensures older adults’ transportation mobility and independence. It is also a key element for social participation and to achieve productive aging. However, when accounting for driving exposure, crash risk and crashed-related deaths increase for older drivers aged 70 years and plus. By analyzing data from NHATS, this study aimed to assess factors that might affect driving frequency (a five-category ordinal variable that measured how often people drove places). I examined whether productive aging activities (e.g., working, volunteering, caregiving, leisure, religious participation, civic engagement), perceived importance of social participation, mental wellbeing, physical capacity, cognition, sensory function, and community environment were either positively or negatively related to driving frequency. Age, gender, race, household size, marital status, and self-rated health were controlled for in this study. Results from ordinal regression showed that higher driving frequency was observed among older adults who reported that they worked for pay, provided care, visited friends and family, and went out for enjoyment. Higher driving frequency was also related to a higher perception of social participation importance. Inability to walk six blocks, lower scores on delayed word recall, and poorer vision were associated with lower driving frequency. Lower driving frequency was also found among women, married couples, and people with worth health and advanced age (80 years and older). These results suggest that higher driving frequency is associated with active social engagement and participation. New vehicle technologies or alternative transportation services and programs could be implemented to ensure safety, mobility, and social participation.

scholarly journals Frailty Status and Transport Disadvantage: Comparison of Older Adults’ Travel Behaviours between Metropolitan, Suburban, and Rural Areas of Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6367
Author(s):  
Takumi Abe ◽  
Akihiko Kitamura ◽  
Satoshi Seino ◽  
Yuri Yokoyama ◽  
Hidenori Amano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Frailty Status ◽  
Transport Disadvantage

This study examined differences in older adults’ travel behaviours by frailty status in metropolitan, suburban, and rural areas of Japan. Data were collected from 9104 older adults (73.5 ± 5.7 years; 51% women; 19% frail) living in metropolitan (n = 5032), suburban (n = 2853), and rural areas (n = 1219) of Japan. Participants reported if they walked, cycled, drove a car, rode a car as a passenger, and used public transportation (PT) once per week or more. A standardised questionnaire was used to assess frailty status. We conducted logistic regression analysis to calculate the odds ratios of using each travel mode by frailty status stratified by locality. Relative to non-frail participants, frail participants were less likely to walk and drive a car in all three areas. Frail participants had significantly higher odds of being a car passenger in the suburban (OR = 1.73 (95% CI: 1.32, 2.25)) and rural areas (OR = 1.61 (1.10, 2.35)) but not in the metropolitan area (OR = 1.08 (0.87, 1.33)). This study found that frail older adults living in suburban and rural areas tended to rely more on cars driven by someone else, suggesting that transport disadvantage is more pronounced in suburban and rural areas than in metropolitan areas.

scholarly journals Acceptance of Transportation Technologies by Aging Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 555-555
Author(s):  
Neil Charness ◽  
Dustin Souders ◽  
Ryan Best ◽  
Nelson Roque ◽  
JongSung Yoon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Driving Performance ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Crash Risk ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Spot Detection

Abstract Older adults are at greater risk of death and serious injury in transportation crashes which have been increasing in older adult cohorts relative to younger cohorts. Can technology provide a safer road environment? Even if technology can mitigate crash risk, is it acceptable to older road users? We outline the results from several studies that tested 1) whether advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) can improve older adult driving performance, 2) older adults’ acceptance of ADAS and Autonomous Vehicle (AV) systems, and 3) perceptions of value for ADAS systems, particularly for blind-spot detection systems. We found that collision avoidance warning systems improved older adult simulator driving performance, but not lane departure warning systems. In a young to middle-aged sample the factor “concern with AV” showed age effects with older drivers less favorable. Older drivers, however, valued an active blind spot detection system more than younger drivers.

scholarly journals Examining Risky Driving Behavior Among Older Drivers Using Self-Reported and Objective Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 465-465
Author(s):  
Jennifer Zakrajsek ◽  
Lisa Molnar ◽  
David Eby ◽  
David LeBlanc ◽  
Lidia Kostyniuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Seat Belt ◽  
Driving Behavior ◽  
Video Data ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Driving Frequency ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Risky Driving ◽  
Driving Behaviors ◽  
Study Results

Abstract Motor vehicle crashes represent a significant public health problem. Efforts to improve driving safety are multifaceted, focusing on vehicles, roadways, and drivers with risky driving behaviors playing integral roles in each area. As part of a study to create guidelines for developing risky driving countermeasures, 480 drivers (118 young/18-25, 183 middle-aged/35-55, 179 older/65 and older) completed online surveys measuring driving history, risky driving (frequency of engaging in distracted [using cell phone, texting, eating/drinking, grooming, reaching/interacting] and reckless/aggressive [speeding, tailgating, failing to yield right-of-way, maneuvering unsafely, rolling stops] driving behaviors), and psychosocial characteristics. A cluster analysis using frequency of the risky behaviors and seat belt use identified five risky behavior-clusters: 1) rarely/never distracted-rarely/never reckless/aggressive (n=392); 2) sometimes distracted-rarely/never reckless/aggressive (n=33); 3) sometimes distracted-sometimes reckless/aggressive (n=40); 4) often/always distracted-often/always reckless/aggressive (n=11); 5) no pattern (n=4). Older drivers were more likely in the first/lowest cluster (93.8% of older versus 84.2% of middle-aged and 59.3% of young drivers; p&lt;.0001). Fifteen older drivers participated in a follow-up study in which their vehicles were equipped with a data acquisition system that collected objective driving and video data of all trips for three weeks. Analysis of video data from 145 older driver trips indicated that older drivers engaged in at least one distracted behavior in 115 (79.3%) trips. While preliminary, this suggests considerably more frequent engagement in distracted driving than self-reported and that older drivers should not be excluded from consideration when developing risky driving behavior countermeasures. Full study results and implications will be presented.

scholarly journals Older Adults’ Motivations for Participating in a “Tune-Up” of Their Driving Skills: A Multi-Stakeholder Analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482098241
Author(s):  
Ruheena Sangrar ◽  
Kyung Joon Mun ◽  
Lauren E. Griffith ◽  
Lori Letts ◽  
Brenda Vrkljan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Stakeholder Analysis ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Older Drivers ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Driver Training ◽  
Near Misses ◽  
Driving Experience

Driver training has the potential to keep older adults safe behind-the-wheel for longer, yet there is limited evidence describing factors that influence their willingness to participate in training. Focus groups with community-dwelling older drivers ( n = 23; 70–90 years) and semi-structured interviews with driving instructors ( n = 6) and occupational therapists ( n = 5) were conducted to identify these factors. Qualitative descriptive analyses highlighted how self-awareness of behind-the-wheel abilities in later life can influence an older adult’s motivation to participate in driver training, as well as their willingness to discuss their behaviors. Collision-involvement and near-misses prompted participants to reflect on their driving abilities and their openness to feedback. Participants’ preferences for learning contexts that use a strengths-based approach and validate the driving experience of older drivers, while providing feedback on behind-the-wheel performance, were raised. Older driver training initiatives that consider the needs of the aging population in their design can promote road safety and community mobility.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document