ABSTRACT
Objective：An actual-condition survey was conducted to verify the validity of reference values of higher brain function necessary for patients with brain injury to resume automobile driving. Subjects：Of the 74 patients admitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Rehabilitation Hospital between November 1, 2008 and November 30, 2012, who underwent evaluation using the hospital's automobile driving resumption system at the time of discharge, 71 patients with brain injury who were judged capable of resuming driving were included in this study. Methods：Questionnaires were sent at least 1 year after discharge, to determine whether the subjects had actually resumed automobile driving. Subjects were classified by admission date into two groups：1）A provisional reference group that included patients admitted between November 2008 and November 2011 who had resumed driving；and 2) verification group that included patients who had been admitted between December 2011 and November 2012 and had resumed driving. The relationship between results on the higher brain function test for the verification group and provisional reference values was investigated. Results：The provisional reference value group included 29 patients, and the verification group included 13 patients. In the verification group, the results of 9 patients with brain injury on the higher brain function test were within provisional reference values. Conclusion：The results of the paper-based test are a reliable predictor of whether a patient is capable of resuming driving, but do not represent an absolute standard. Therefore, the safety of resuming driving should be investigated on a case-by-case basis.
ABSTRACT
Objective : We conducted a fact-finding survey for the consecutive past 3 years to establish whether inpatients with brain injury who had wished to resume driving after discharge from our hospital had in fact resumed driving after discharge. The survey included both driving status and information about collisions. Methods : Patients who had been evaluated for resumption of driving and were discharged more than 1 year ago were sent a fact-finding survey questionnaire aimed at establishing whether they were currently driving. The patients who had resumed driving (resumers) were compared with those who had not resumed driving (non-resumers). From the questionnaire results we investigated driving status and whether collisions had occurred. Results : We obtained effective responses from 40 of the 54 people (48 males, 6 females) who were sent the questionnaire ; the collection rate was 74.1%. Of these, twenty-nine people had resumed driving, all were male. There were no significant differences between the resumers and non-resumers in higher brain function tests. In regard to driving ability, hemiparesis impairments were significantly milder in the resumers than in the non-resumers. Two respondents had hit posts or walls within the year. All these collisions occurred when parking. One respondent had a collision while driving along a road. Conclusion : We hope to provide patients with useful and appropriate information on resuming driving so that we can support them in a safe return to the driving environment.