title: Return to driving in the first 6 months of community integration after acquired brain injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Return to driving is a goal and milestone in the recovery process following acquired brain injury (ABI). Knowledge of whether and when a person is likely to return to driving is important to people with ABI, family members and clinicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the rates, timing, correlates, and predictors of return to driving in the first 6 months after discharge from hospital following ABI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey of 212 participants with ABI and 121 family members at discharge and 3 and 6 months later. Participants with ABI were grouped according to driving status (not driving, returned within 3 months, returned within 6 months). Groups were compared on demographics, injury severity, quality of life, functioning, psychosocial integration, depression, and carer well-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By 6 months post-discharge 62.3% had resumed driving. Between group differences existed on measures of injury severity, and psychosocial integration at 6 months, and carer depression and strain at discharge and 6 months. Whether and when someone returned to driving could be predicted by length of hospital stay, and level of community integration, and pain at discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educating clients about their likelihood and timing of return to driving, and supporting non-drivers and their carers may improve psychosocial outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Occupational Therapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liddle
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nalder
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weir
authors.affiliation: Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Petrea
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornwell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community integration; automobile driving; brain injuries; longitudinal studies; rehabilitation; traumatic