Cognitive, physical impairment mar driving in chronic whiplash

(HealthDay)—Cognitive and physical impairments have an independent effect on self-reported driving difficulty in individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorder, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of Spine.

Hiroshi Takasaki, from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study to examine the physical, cognitive, and psychological domains contributing to self-reported driving difficulties in 40 individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders. The contribution of independent variables (physical, cognitive, and psychological domains) was assessed for each of the three driving task performance levels (strategic, tactical, and operational levels of the Neck Pain Driving Index). The models were adjusted for neck pain, dizziness, and relevant demographics.

The researchers found that, in the strategic and tactical levels, symptom duration related to driving difficulty. The cognitive domain had an independent contribution to difficulties in driving tasks at the strategic and operational levels. The physical domain had an independent contribution to driving tasks at the tactical level.

"Physical and cognitive impairments independently contributed to self-reported driving difficulty in chronic whiplash-associated disorder beyond neck pain, dizziness, and symptom duration," the authors write.