ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine the symptoms experienced and the change in driving habits in individuals with concussion.

Materials and methods: A survey was created by a team of rehabilitation professionals who see persons with concussion in their clinics. The survey captured demographics, mechanism of injury, date of injury, symptoms experienced during driving, if drivers felt safe when driving, and changes in driving habits since the concussion. Non-parametric tests were used to compare symptoms experienced and driving habits across three groups which were created based on time since injury.

Results: Of the 140 participants, 74% (104/140) had resumed driving after concussion; of these 27% (28/104) reported that they felt unsafe while driving. Forty-four per cent (46/104) experienced symptoms while driving, of which headache, and difficulty concentrating were the most common symptoms experienced throughout the concussion spectrum (acute to chronic phase). Most drivers (78/104, 75%) with concussion had changed their driving habits by driving less often and shorter distances, and by avoiding nighttime driving and heavy traffic areas.

Conclusions: Headache and concentration problems were experienced by drivers regardless of the time since injury. Most drivers had made changes to their driving habits. Clinicians should consider the symptom burden patients experience and discuss driving restrictions to ensure driving safety.

摘要

目的：研究脑震荡患者的症状和驾驶习惯的变化。

材料和方法：一支由康复专业人员组成的团队进行了调查，他们在诊所看到有脑震荡的人。该调查收集了人口统计资料，伤害机理，伤害日期，驾驶过程中出现的症状，驾驶者是否感到安全，以及自脑震荡以来驾驶习惯的变化。非参数测试用于比较三组基于受伤以来的时间所经历的症状和驾驶习惯。

结果：140名参与者中，有74％（104/140）在脑震荡后恢复驾驶；在这27％（28/104）中，有报告称他们在开车时感到不安全。百分之四十四（46/104）的驾驶员在驾驶过程中出现症状，其中头痛和注意力不集中是整个脑震荡期间（急性至慢性期）最常见的症状。大多数患有脑震荡的驾驶员（78/104，75％）通过减少频繁驾驶和短距离行驶以及避免夜间驾驶和交通繁忙的区域来改变驾驶习惯。

结论：无论受伤后的时间长短，驾驶员都会遇到头痛和注意力不集中的问题。大多数驾驶员已经改变了他们的驾驶习惯。临床医生应考虑患者的症状负担，并讨论驾驶限制，以确保驾驶安全。