title: The impact of subclinical sleep problems on self-reported driving patterns and perceived driving abilities in a cohort of active older drivers.
abstract: The present study sought to investigate the influence of subclinical sleep disturbances on driving practices and driver perceptions in a large cohort of healthy older drivers. Participants from the Candrive II prospective cohort study were investigated. Self-reported measures of sleep problems were used to determine the influence of sleep disturbance on self-reported driving practices and perceived driving abilities, as measured by the Situational Driving Frequency, Situational Driving Avoidance, and Perceived Driving Abilities scales. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to estimate whether mild self-reported sleep problems were predictive of driving restrictions and perceived abilities, while controlling for a variety of health-related factors and demographic variables known to mediate sleep problems or to impact driving. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Candrive II study suggests that subclinical sleep problems do not significantly influence self-reported driving patterns or perceived driving abilities in older drivers once control variables are considered. The relationship between sleep problems, driving frequency, avoidance and perceived abilities is better explained by mediating demographic, health, and cognitive factors. Further research examining sleep disturbances and driving should include objective measures of driving practices (exposure, patterns) and outcomes (crashes, violations) and should take in consideration the severity of sleep problems.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea Jane
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weegar
authors.forename: Yara
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kadulina
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gagnon
authors.forename: Shawn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tuokko
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bédard
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gélinas
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Man-Son-Hing
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazer
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Naglie
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapoport
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vrkljan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D001569:Benzodiazepines
keywords: Older drivers; Self-regulatory driving behaviors; Sleep problems