Department of Occupational Therapy Program Faculty Articles

PubMed Identifier

18390009

Review of the evidence related to older adult community mobility and driver licensure policies.

Wendy B Stav

Publication Title

The American journal of occupational therapy.

Publisher

Published For The American Occupational Therapy Association By Ajot Pub. Co

ISSN

1943-7676

Publication Date

3-1-2008

Keywords

Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Automobile Driving, Automobiles, Evidence-Based Medicine, Geriatrics, Humans, Licensure, Public Health, Public Health Practice, Public Policy, United States

Abstract

A systematic review of literature related to the effects of drivers' license policies and community mobility programs on older adult participation was completed as a part of the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Literature Review Project. The results revealed that states can achieve a goal of reducing traffic crashes, traffic violations, and traffic-related fatalities through relicensing policies requiring in-person renewal and vision testing as well as driving restrictions. Evidence suggests that failure to consider the continued community mobility needs of older adults can result in increasing fatalities among senior citizens using other modes of community mobility. This evidence-based review is informative for occupational therapy practice; however, it does not reveal the association between policy and community mobility interventions and improved engagement and participation. There is a role for occupational therapy in policy development and community mobility programming to promote engagement in occupation to support participation.

DOI

10.5014/ajot.62.2.149

Volume

62

Issue

2

First Page

149

Last Page

158

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

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