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Table 1 Characteristics of volunteer, older, home-dwelling drivers and of those considered as healthy drivers

From: The trail making test as a screening instrument for driving performance in older drivers; a translational research

Determinants

All study participants (n = 404)

Healthy* (n = 197)

“Unhealthy”* (n = 207)

P-value‡

 

Median (p5–p95) / % (n)

Median (p5–p95) / % (n)

Median (p5–p95) / % (n)

(Chi2or T-test)

Age (years)

75.4 years (70-84)

74.8 (70–83)

75.8 (71–85)

P = 0.025

Gender (% male)

62.6% (n = 253)

52.8% (n = 104)

72.0% (n = 149)

P < 0.001

Education (% <12 yrs)

26.2% (n = 106)

23.3% (n = 46)

29.0% (n = 60)

P = 0.198

Vision

    

Visual acuity (decimal)

1.0 dec (0.6–1.2)

1.0 (0.8–1.2)

1.0 (0.6–1.2)

P = 0.003

Visual field (°)

180° (150–200)

180 (160–200)

180 (150–200)

P = 0.106

Contrast sensitivity (log[CS])†

1.72 log(CS) (1.6–1.76)

1.72 (1.6–1.76)

1.72 (1.6–1.76)

P = 0.429

Functional mobility

    

Timed up-and-go test – TUG (sec)

8.0 sec (6.0–13.0)

8.0 (6.0–12.0)

8.4 (6.0–14.8)

P < 0.001

Cognitive state

    

MoCA (points [0-30])

27 points (21–30)

28 (26–30)

25 (20–29)

P < 0.001

MoCAmod (points [0-29])

26 points (20–29)

27 (24–29)

24 (19–28)

P < 0.001

Driving

    

Distance driven per week (km)

200 km (50–500)

200 (40–500)

200 (50–500)

P = 0.832

History of accidents during the previous 2 years

    

All types with material damage

26.0% (n = 105)

25.4% (n = 50)

26.6% (n = 55)

P = 0.785

Responsible for damage to others

7.4% (n = 30)

6.6% (n = 13)

8.2% (n = 17)

P = 0.536

Injured

1.2% (n = 5)

0% (n = 0)

2.4% (n = 5)

P = 0.028

On-road driving performance

   

P = 0.605

Excellent

47.0% (n = 190)

46.2% (n = 91)

47.8% (n = 99)

 

Good

27.0% (n = 109)

27.9% (n = 55)

26.1% (n = 54)

 

Moderate

20.5% (n = 83)

21.8% (n = 43)

19.3% (n = 40)

 

Poor

5.4% (n = 22)

4.1% (n = 8)

6.8% (n = 14)

 
  1. *The healthy population was defined as drivers with normal optical vision, no cognitive impairment (MoCA ≥ 26), normal functional mobility (TUG < 13.5 sec), no known risk of sudden blackout, and without class III medication affecting driving performance. † MARS contrast sensitivity was not collected from the start of the study and was therefore available for only 158 participants, of whom 76 were healthy. ‡ P-Values are for comparing healthy participants to “unhealthy participants”. CS = contrast sensitivity, MoCA = Montreal cognitive assessment, MoCAmod = Modified MoCA (without TMT or education level).
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BMC Geriatrics

ISSN: 1471-2318

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