Return to driving in the first 6 months of community integration after acquired brain injury.

BACKGROUND

Return to driving is a goal and milestone in the recovery process following acquired brain injury (ABI). Knowledge of whether and when a person is likely to return to driving is important to people with ABI, family members and clinicians.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rates, timing, correlates, and predictors of return to driving in the first 6 months after discharge from hospital following ABI.

METHODS

Survey of 212 participants with ABI and 121 family members at discharge and 3 and 6 months later. Participants with ABI were grouped according to driving status (not driving, returned within 3 months, returned within 6 months). Groups were compared on demographics, injury severity, quality of life, functioning, psychosocial integration, depression, and carer well-being.

RESULTS

By 6 months post-discharge 62.3% had resumed driving. Between group differences existed on measures of injury severity, and psychosocial integration at 6 months, and carer depression and strain at discharge and 6 months. Whether and when someone returned to driving could be predicted by length of hospital stay, and level of community integration, and pain at discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Educating clients about their likelihood and timing of return to driving, and supporting non-drivers and their carers may improve psychosocial outcomes.