Introduction: The impact of driving resumption and cessation on health-related outcomes remains underexplored in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI).
Objective: To examine the impact of driving resumption and cessation on health-related outcomes in patients with ABI.
Methods: This study analyzed 24 patients with acquired brain injury assessed for resumption from April 2022 to March 2023 at six time points: three baseline assessments and three follow-ups approximately every two months over six months. A Linear Mixed Model examined the effects of driving resumption and cessation on the 8-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-8), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Life-Space Assessment (LSA) scores.
Results: The Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-8 improved with driving resumption (β=0.02 [95% CI: 0.00, 0.04], p=0.033). The Mental Component Summary (MCS) was lower in males than females (β=-6.1 [-11.0, -0.99], p=0.021). SDS scores were lower in those who resumed driving (β=-6.6 [-12.0, -0.87], p=0.025) and decreased with age (β=-0.56 [-0.83, -0.28], p<0.001). Patients with cerebral infarction (β=24.0 [17.0, 32.0], p<0.001) or traumatic brain injury (β=21.0 [7.2, 34.0], p=0.004) had higher SDS scores than those with cerebral hemorrhage. Lack of family transportation support increased SDS scores (β=9.3 [1.6, 17.0], p=0.019). LSA improved over time (β=0.08 [0.00, 0.15], p=0.038), particularly with driving resumption (β=0.15 [0.06, 0.25, p=0.002).
Conclusion: Driving resumption was associated with improvements in PCS, LSA, and SDS scores, with no significant change in MCS. Findings suggest driving resumption may positively impact physical health, mobility, and mental well-being, warranting further investigation into mechanisms and influencing factors.