Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between psychoactive medications and crash risk in drivers aged 60 and older.DESIGN: Retrospective population-based case-crossover study.SETTING: A database study that linked the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System and the Pharmaceutical Benefit...

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Main Authors: Meuleners, Lynn, Duke, Janine, Lee, Andy, Palamara, Peter, Hildebrand, Janina, Ng, Jonathon
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc. 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25953
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author Meuleners, Lynn
Duke, Janine
Lee, Andy
Palamara, Peter
Hildebrand, Janina
Ng, Jonathon
author_facet Meuleners, Lynn
Duke, Janine
Lee, Andy
Palamara, Peter
Hildebrand, Janina
Ng, Jonathon
author_sort Meuleners, Lynn
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between psychoactive medications and crash risk in drivers aged 60 and older.DESIGN: Retrospective population-based case-crossover study.SETTING: A database study that linked the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred sixteen individuals aged 60 and older who were hospitalized as the result of a motor vehicle crash between 2002 and 2008 in Western Australia.MEASUREMENTS: Hospitalization after a motor vehicle crash.RESULTS: Greater risk for a hospitalization crash was found for older drivers prescribed benzodiazepines (odds ratio (OR) = 5.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.6–7.8, P<.001), antidepressants (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.0–3.3, P = .04), and opioid analgesics (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0–2.3, P = .05). Crash risk was significantly greater in men prescribed a benzodiazepine (OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 3.2–12.2, P<.001) or an antidepressant (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.1–6.9, P = .03). Women prescribed benzodiazepines (OR = 4.9, 95% CI = 3.1–7.8, P<.001) or opioid analgesics (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1–3.0, P = .03) also had a significantly greater crash risk. Subgroup analyses further suggested that drivers with (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.9–8.1, P<.001) and without (OR = 6.0, 95% CI = 3.8–9.5, P < .001) a chronic condition who were prescribed benzodiazepines were at greater crash risk. Drivers with a chronic condition taking antidepressants (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.3–8.5, P = .01) also had a greater crash risk.CONCLUSION: Psychoactive medication usage was associated with greater risk of a motor vehicle crash requiring hospitalization in older drivers.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2011
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-259532017-09-13T15:23:04Z Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study Meuleners, Lynn Duke, Janine Lee, Andy Palamara, Peter Hildebrand, Janina Ng, Jonathon drivers psychoactive medications older people crash risk aged OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between psychoactive medications and crash risk in drivers aged 60 and older.DESIGN: Retrospective population-based case-crossover study.SETTING: A database study that linked the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred sixteen individuals aged 60 and older who were hospitalized as the result of a motor vehicle crash between 2002 and 2008 in Western Australia.MEASUREMENTS: Hospitalization after a motor vehicle crash.RESULTS: Greater risk for a hospitalization crash was found for older drivers prescribed benzodiazepines (odds ratio (OR) = 5.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.6–7.8, P<.001), antidepressants (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.0–3.3, P = .04), and opioid analgesics (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0–2.3, P = .05). Crash risk was significantly greater in men prescribed a benzodiazepine (OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 3.2–12.2, P<.001) or an antidepressant (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.1–6.9, P = .03). Women prescribed benzodiazepines (OR = 4.9, 95% CI = 3.1–7.8, P<.001) or opioid analgesics (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1–3.0, P = .03) also had a significantly greater crash risk. Subgroup analyses further suggested that drivers with (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.9–8.1, P<.001) and without (OR = 6.0, 95% CI = 3.8–9.5, P < .001) a chronic condition who were prescribed benzodiazepines were at greater crash risk. Drivers with a chronic condition taking antidepressants (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.3–8.5, P = .01) also had a greater crash risk.CONCLUSION: Psychoactive medication usage was associated with greater risk of a motor vehicle crash requiring hospitalization in older drivers. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25953 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03561.x Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc. restricted
spellingShingle drivers
psychoactive medications
older people
crash risk
aged
Meuleners, Lynn
Duke, Janine
Lee, Andy
Palamara, Peter
Hildebrand, Janina
Ng, Jonathon
Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study
title Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study
title_full Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study
title_fullStr Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study
title_full_unstemmed Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study
title_short Psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: A population-based study
title_sort psychoactive medications and crash involvement requiring hospitalization for older drivers: a population-based study
topic drivers
psychoactive medications
older people
crash risk
aged
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25953