title: Automobile driving in older adults: factors affecting driving restriction in men and women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors associated with driving restriction in elderly men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study of French drivers from 2003 to 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Three-City Cohort of Bordeaux, a prospective study of 2,104 people aged 65 and older.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred twenty-three drivers with a mean age of 76 (273 male, 250 female).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sociodemographic characteristics, driving habits, health variables, cognitive evaluation and dementia diagnosis. Predementia was defined as no dementia at one follow-up and dementia at the next follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the 6-year period, 54% of men and 63% of women stopped driving or reduced the distance they drove. Predementia, Parkinson's disease, older age, and a high number of kilometers previously driven were common restriction factors in both sexes. Prevalent dementia, depressive symptomatology, a decline in one or more instrumental activities of daily living, and poor visual working memory were specific factors in men. In women, low income, fear of falling, slow processing speed, and severe decline in global cognitive performance all affected driving restriction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older women restricted their driving activity more than older men, regardless of the number of kilometers previously driven, physical health, and cognitive status. Factors affecting driving restriction differed according to sex, and women were more likely to stop driving than men in the period preceding a dementia diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Recherche Epidémiologique et de Surveillance Transport Travail Environnement, Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux, UMRT 9405, Bron, France; Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marie Dit Asse
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabrigoule
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helmer
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laumon
authors.forename: Sylviane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lafont
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: cognitive factors; dementia; driving restriction; elderly; sex differences