Driving status and health-related quality of life among the oldest old: a population-based examination using data from the AgeCoDe-AgeQualiDe prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

It is almost unknown whether the driving status is associated with HRQOL among individuals in highest age.

AIMS

Based on a multicenter prospective cohort study, the objective of this study was to examine whether the driving status is associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among the oldest old in Germany.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from follow-up wave 9 (n = 544) were derived from the "Study on Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe). Average age was 90.3 years (± 2.7; 86 to 101 years). The current driver status (no; yes) was used in our analysis. The EuroQoL EQ-5D questionnaire was used to assess HRQOL in this study.

RESULTS

Regression analysis showed that being a current driver was associated with the absence of problems in 'self-care' [OR 0.41 (95%-CI 0.17 to 0.98)], and 'usual activities' [OR 0.48 (0.26 to 0.90)], whereas it was not significantly associated with problems in 'pain/discomfort' [OR  0.82 (0.47 to 1.45)] and 'anxiety/depression' [OR  0.71 (0.36 to 1.39)]. Being a current driver was marginally significantly associated with the absence of problems in 'mobility' [OR 0.60 (0.34 to 1.06)]. While being a current driver was not associated with the EQ-VAS in the main model, it was positively associated with the driving status (β = 5.00, p < .05) when functional impairment was removed from the main model.

DISCUSSION

Our findings provide first evidence for an association between driving status and HRQOL among the oldest old.

CONCLUSIONS

Future longitudinal studies are required to evaluate a possible causal relationship between driving status and HRQOL in very old individuals.