自動車運転再開支援を行った脳損傷者の特徴と事故について

Characteristics of Brain Injury Patients Supported in Resumption of Driving

要旨　はじめに：自動車運転再開評価プログラムを施行した脳損傷者の自動車運転の再開状況について実態調査を施行した．方法：自動車運転再開評価を行った患者のうち，退院後1年以上経過した患者に対し，現在の自動車運転状況についてのアンケートを送付した．運転再開者（以下，再開群）と運転非再開者（以下，非再開群）を比較して検討を行った．結果：54名にアンケートを送付し，40名から有効回答が得られた．高次脳機能評価との関連では，再開群，非再開群ともに，MMSEおよびBITは全員正常範囲であり，2群間で有意差を認めなかった．身体障害については，上肢，手指，下肢のすべてで再開群が非再開群に比し有意に軽度であった．1年以内に事故を起こしたのは3名であり，柱や壁への衝突が2名，走行中の事故が1名であった．考察：機能障害が重度であることが運転再開を躊躇させる1つの要因になっている可能性が示唆された．

Abstract　Objective : We conducted a fact-finding survey for the consecutive past 3 years to establish whether inpatients with brain injury who had wished to resume driving after discharge from our hospital had in fact resumed driving after discharge. The survey included both driving status and information about collisions. Methods : Patients who had been evaluated for resumption of driving and were discharged more than 1 year ago were sent a fact-finding survey questionnaire aimed at establishing whether they were currently driving. The patients who had resumed driving (resumers) were compared with those who had not resumed driving (non-resumers). From the questionnaire results we investigated driving status and whether collisions had occurred. Results : We obtained effective responses from 40 of the 54 people (48 males, 6 females) who were sent the questionnaire ; the collection rate was 74.1％. Of these, twenty-nine people had resumed driving, all were male. There were no significant differences between the resumers and non-resumers in higher brain function tests. In regard to driving ability, hemiparesis impairments were significantly milder in the resumers than in the non-resumers. Two respondents had hit posts or walls within the year. All these collisions occurred when parking. One respondent had a collision while driving along a road. Conclusion : We hope to provide patients with useful and appropriate information on resuming driving so that we can support them in a safe return to the driving environment.