Alkharboush Ghassan A, Al Rashed Faisal A, Saleem Ahmed H, Alnajashi Ibrahim S, Almeneessier Aljohara S, Olaish Awad H, Bhatti Junaid A, BaHammam Ahmed S
a University Sleep Disorders Center , Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
b Department of Family and Community Medicine , College of Medicine, King Saud University , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
Traffic Inj Prev. 2017 Jul 4;18(5):488-492. doi: 10.1080/15389588.2016.1274029. Epub 2017 Jan 5.
Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are a significant health burden in Saudi Arabia. The literature has consistently indicated that chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea, and neurodevelopmental disorders, increase the risk of MVCs. Therefore, assessment of driver fitness by primary care physicians (PCPs) remains a major health intervention that might reduce MVCs. We studied the practices of PCPs in assessing medical fitness to drive in at-risk patients.
We conducted a cross-sectional study of all 88 government-funded primary care centers in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We administered a self-reported questionnaire to PCPs that inquired about their driving risk assessment for specific medical conditions.
Among all PCPs and centers, 189 PCPs (63%) from 74 centers (84%) participated in our survey. The mean age of the PCPs was 40 ± 10 years, and 108 (57%) were men. The average clinical experience of the group was 13 ± 9 years. Fewer than half of PCPs considered diabetes mellitus (45%) and obstructive sleep apnea (46%) as potential risks for MVCs. Approximately 45% of PCPs did not notify any authority or relatives of potential driving issues that they noticed in their patients. Only 15% of the participants believed that PCPs were responsible for alerting authorities about their fitness to drive.
PCPs did not adequately assess their patients' driving history and eligibility. Efforts are needed to improve awareness among PCPs regarding the effects of chronic medical conditions on driving.
在沙特阿拉伯，机动车碰撞事故（MVC）是一项重大的健康负担。文献一直表明，糖尿病、心脏病、中风、阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停和神经发育障碍等慢性疾病会增加发生MVC的风险。因此，初级保健医生（PCP）对驾驶员健康状况的评估仍然是一项可能减少MVC的主要健康干预措施。我们研究了PCP对有风险患者驾驶适宜性进行评估的做法。
我们对沙特阿拉伯利雅得市所有88个政府资助的初级保健中心进行了一项横断面研究。我们向PCP发放了一份自我报告问卷，询问他们对特定疾病的驾驶风险评估情况。
在所有PCP和中心中，来自74个中心（84%）的189名PCP（63%）参与了我们的调查。PCP的平均年龄为40±10岁，其中108名（57%）为男性。该组的平均临床经验为13±9年。不到一半的PCP认为糖尿病（45%）和阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（46%）是MVC的潜在风险。约45%的PCP没有将他们在患者身上注意到的潜在驾驶问题通知任何当局或亲属。只有15%的参与者认为PCP有责任提醒当局其患者是否适合驾驶。
PCP没有充分评估患者的驾驶历史和资格。需要努力提高PCP对慢性疾病对驾驶影响的认识。
