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Driving cessation and increased depressive symptoms.

David R Ragland1, William A Satariano, Kara E MacLeod

  • 1University of California Traffic Safety Center, University of California at Berkeley, 140 Warren Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-7360, USA. david@uclink4.berkeley.edu

The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
|April 30, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Older adults who stop driving experience increased depression. This effect was more pronounced in men, highlighting a potential consequence of driving cessation in aging populations.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Public Health
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Driving cessation is common in older adults.
  • The impact of reduced or ceased driving on mental health, specifically depression, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the association between driving cessation and depression in older adults.
  • To compare depression levels in former drivers versus active drivers.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 1953 older adults (aged 55+) in Sonoma County, California, was studied.
  • Data collected included depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), driving status, sociodemographics, health, and cognition.
  • 1772 active drivers were re-interviewed after 3 years to assess changes in driving status and depression.

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Main Results:

  • Former drivers reported higher baseline depression than active drivers, even after controlling for covariates.
  • Longitudinally, individuals who ceased driving showed increased depressive symptoms compared to persistent drivers, controlling for health and cognitive changes.
  • The increase in depression associated with driving cessation was significantly greater in men than in women.

Conclusions:

  • Driving reduction and cessation in aging populations are linked to increased depression.
  • This association suggests a potential mental health consequence of losing driving independence in older adults.