Mental impairment and driving licences for elderly people--a survey among Norwegian general practitioners.

OBJECTIVE

Study how GPs assess mental function when a health certificate for elderly drivers has to be issued.

DESIGN

Postal questionnaire survey.

SETTING

Nationwide survey.

SUBJECTS: Random sample of 532 Norwegian general practitioners, response rate 54%.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Open and closed questions.

RESULTS

Various types of examinations and assessments are carried out in this context. More than 50% always assess mental function. Only 22% use formal mental tests, mostly when in doubt. The assessment of elderly patients for a health certificate for driving is regarded by many as a difficult problem.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of uniformity in issuing a health certificate to elderly drivers, a low use of formal cognitive testing, and problems facing GPs in this context. More concrete guidelines and a formal second-line system would facilitate an objective assessment and could also alleviate the burden on the doctor.