STUDY UPDATE as of May 2011

We want to thank you for your continued support of our important driving study. Your involvement provides the science-based data needed to help influence driving policies and change driving practice that will help to save lives.

These pages are designed to keep you informed of the study progress and provide other information we think might be of interest. We also would like to hear from you; your views, concerns, and experiences as a participant.

Please email our Program Manager, Lynn MacLeay at lmacleay@ohri.ca

  

Recruitment complete in Canada

Recruitment in Canada closed at the end of November, 2010, with a total of 933 participants - 93%!

 

 

Ozcandrive is still actively recruiting, with a current enrollment of 215 in Australia and 45 in New Zealand. Recruitment will close in June, before their Year 2 assessments begin.

 

National Update

The next Candrive Common Cohort Investigator Meeting will take place October 24th and 25th in Ottawa. Hosted by co-principal investigators, Dr. Shawn Marshall and Dr. Malcolm Man-Son-Hing, and Program Manager Lynn Macleay, site investigators and researchers from Canada, Michigan and Australia will attend the two-day meeting to discuss, among other things, publications and presentations from study findings and future directions of the study.

Site investigators meet every 6-8 weeks during the course of the year via teleconference to address issues, concerns and to make any decisions, ensuring there is a true collaborative approach to conducting the study.

In Canada we are preparing for Year 3 assessments beginning in July and are currently reviewing minor changes to the assessment protocol.

Year 1 data analysis is now underway with results to be documented in publications and findings presented in various formats.

Candrive has been developing an electronic 'tool' to capture all information pertaining to the study to better communicate the research results to stakeholders. this Knowledge Translation Tool is currently being tested and is to be ready for researchers to use in October.

 

 

Site News

Sites continue to work individually to keep participants informed and involved. They all produced local newsletters last year and Spring issues are now being released.

Click here to read 2010 site newsletters : Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Victoria, Montreal, Thunder Bay.

2011 site newsletters: Toronto, Thunder Bay, Ottawa (spring), Ottawa  (fall) Montreal, Hamilton   

  

Demographic Data

For your interest, we have the following data of study participants to share with you.

 

Demographic characteristics of Candrive participants in Canada

 

Candrive Sub-Studies/Projects

(2011 update coming soon)

Examining Driving Patterns of Older Canadians

Leader: Michelle Porter (Winnipeg)

The goal of this project is to look at driving patterns in a large sample of older drivers from different locations across Canada using Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking. Factors such as obeying traffic signs and the effect of climate conditions on driving are examples of elements that will be studied. (2010 Update) As of March 31, 2011 we have received over 2800 files of driving data.  These files contain over 10 million kilometers of driving data.  We have also started to process files from Australia and New Zealand.

Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Driver Decision-making and Behaviour

Co-leaders: Holly Tuokko and Anita Myers (Victoria, Waterloo)

The goal of this project is to examine the influence and interaction of factors such as the self-perception of driving abilities; confidence, beliefs, attitudes and motivations on driving-related decisions including intentions to restrict or stop driving.

Advancements in Automotive Design.

Co-leaders: Janice Millar-Polgar, Brenda Vrkljan (London, Hamilton)

The goal is to determine key features of the automobile that impact older driver safety and to develop a vehicle design rating system that identifies vehicle features which meet the needs of older drivers. (2010 Update)

Assessing the relevance of the simulator as a screening tool for at-risk older drivers.

Co-leaders: Michel Bédard, Sylvain Gagnon (Thunder Bay, Ottawa)

The main goal of this project is to further validate the use of driving simulator assessments.

Driver Improvement

Leader: Nicol Korner-Bitensky (Montreal)

The objectives are: 1) To explore the perspectives of older drivers regarding driving safety and training programs; and 2) To implement the StaySHARP Pilot driver refresher program. (2010 Update) (2011 Update )

Other initiatives:

• Structured driving assessment – Jim Langford, (Melbourne, Australia)
• Attention Network Test - Michel Bédard (Thunder Bay)
• Driving cessation project - Michel Bédard (Thunder Bay)
• Dementia and Driving Initiative in Ontario –Mark Rapoport (Toronto)
• MCI and Mild Dementia Driving Study Challenges - Gary Naglie (Toronto)

 

Tell us what you think! Write to us here.

Check with us here frequently for updates.