Older adults' perspectives on annual medical assessments for driving: A qualitative investigation

Introduction

Despite their importance, annual medical assessments for driving (AMAD) can be considered stressful or confronting for older adults. A driver's licence represents a sense of freedom and independence, both of which are needed for optimal quality of life. This qualitative study explored older adults' experiences and opinions regarding these assessments, focusing particularly on cognitive function and how it relates to driving.

Methods

A total of 34 (14 females) older adults aged 60 years and over (Mage = 73 years, SD = 9, range = 60–93) were included in this study, and underwent an interview via telephone. Seventeen participants (50%) reported having experience with AMAD due to meeting the age requirement of 75 years, with an additional two participants having prior experience with assessments due to a health condition. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Five themes and 2 subthemes were produced from the data: (1) AMAD are important for road safety; (2) AMAD produce a variety of emotional responses; (3) AMAD appear to be ineffective with little face validity; (4) there are inconsistencies in how AMAD are performed and (5) AMAD require improvement; (5a) AMAD should involve practical skills testing; and (5b) mixed opinions exist as to whether an independent assessor should conduct AMAD.

Conclusions

While participants recognised the importance of AMAD for public safety, they expressed they should not be conducted on the basis of chronological age. Concerns were also raised regarding the standardisation and face validity of AMAD, with several suggestions for improvement being reported. This study provides a deeper insight into how older adults perceive AMAD and highlight potential ways in which they could be improved.