title: Canadian psychiatrists' current attitudes, practices, and knowledge regarding fitness to drive in individuals with mental illness: a cross-Canada survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess current attitudes, practices, and knowledge of Canadian psychiatrists regarding fitness to drive in individuals with mental illness and to explore variations according to provincial legislation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a national cross-sectional survey, using a random sample of psychiatrists. We used a mail survey to collect data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 248 psychiatrists participated; the response rate was 54.2% on traced subjects. The majority (64.1%) reported that they strongly agreed or agreed that addressing patients' fitness to drive is an important issue. However, only 18.0% of respondents were always aware of whether their patients were active drivers. One-fourth strongly agreed or agreed that they were confident in their ability to evaluate fitness to drive. In discretionary provinces, 29.3% of psychiatrists reported not knowing their provincial legislation, as did 14.6% of psychiatrists in mandatory provinces; of those responding, 54.0% from discretionary provinces and 2.8% from mandatory provinces gave incorrect answers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychiatrists' responses demonstrate a broad range of attitudes, practices, and knowledge. There appears to be a large gap between what is expected of psychiatrists and their readiness and self-perceived ability to make informed clinical decisions related to driving safety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a clear need for education and guidelines to assist psychiatrists in decision making about driving fitness.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quecbec. Ingrid.menard@mail.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ménard
authors.forename: Nicol
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Korner-Bitensky
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dobbs
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Casacalenda
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dippsych
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gélinas
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Naglie
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires