Characteristics of two groups of angry drivers.

High anger drivers acknowledging problems with driving anger and interest in counseling (high anger/problem [HP] drivers) were compared with high and low anger drivers not acknowledging problems with driving anger and seeking counseling (high and low/nonproblem [HNP and LNP, respectively] drivers). High anger groups reported more anger while driving; aggressive expression of driving anger; aggression and risky behavior; trait anger; impulsiveness; and aggressive, less controlled forms of general anger expression and less adaptive/constructive coping than LNP drivers. HP drivers received more tickets and experienced more minor accidents than LNP drivers. Although high anger drivers did not differ on reported anger, risky behavior, and impulsiveness, HP drives reported greater aggression on 1 measure, greater aggressiveness on 3 measures of driving anger expression, greater trait anger, and more aggressive and less controlled forms of general anger expression, suggesting HP drivers are somewhat more aggressive than the HNP group. Results supported the state-trait model of anger. Implications for intervention were drawn. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characteristics of drivers and driving record after traumatic and nontraumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether individuals with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke (cerebrovascular accident [CVA]) have an increased risk of subsequent motor vehicle crash or moving violation. DESIGN: A retrospective study comparing the driving records of four cohorts hospitalized with TBI, CVA, isolated extremity fractures (FX), and appendicitis (APPY) with the records of four age-matched, gender-matched, and zip code-matched nonhospitalized cohorts. SETTING: Eligible drivers in the state of Washington, 1991 to 1993. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS: Four cohorts hospitalized in 1992 with TBI, CVA, FX, or APPY were identified from Washington state hospital discharge data. The state driver's license database identified patients with drivers' licenses. Each hospitalized cohort was compared with its own age-matched, gender-matched, and zip code-matched nonhospitalized cohort. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Crashes and citations for moving violations 12 months after hospitalization adjusted for age, gender, and prior driving record. RESULTS: The relative risks (RRs) of any subsequent crash or receipt of citation were not greater for those with either CVA or TBI than for nonhospitalized individuals, nor were the risks of experiencing two or more of these events in the 12 months after hospitalization significantly elevated. After adjustment for prior driving record, modest elevations were observed only for the risks of subsequent driving violation among those with TBI (RR=1.3, 1.0-1.7) and among patients with FX (RR=1.2, 1.1-1.4). CONCLUSIONS: The results do not support the hypothesis that individuals who have sustained a brain injury are at increased risk of motor vehicle crashes. Although patients with TBI were more likely to subsequently receive citations than nonhospitalized individuals, a similar increase was observed among patients without brain injury who had FX, suggesting an inability to completely control for driver characteristics that may be related to risk-taking behavior and that are also associated with an increased risk of driving violation.     

Psychology of drivers in traffic accidents.

50 automobile drivers whose driving involved them in accidents serious enough to require hospitalization were paired with 50 drivers without accident histories but matched according to sex, approximate age, race, and educational level. The Ss were compared on the basis of their driving experiences and performance on written tests. The accident victims differed from the comparison Ss in a higher incidence of previous traffic violations but were not distinguishable from the comparison Ss on any written tests. The accident Ss were similar to the "safe" drivers in describing themselves as much closer to "expert" than "very poor" on a driving performance continuum. In fixing the responsibility for the accidents and in estimating their driving competence at the time of the accidents, the accident Ss' reports are at considerable variance with police reports. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive accident-avoidance training for beginning drivers.

Used programmed instruction/testing to teach safety techniques to 192 high school students in driver education. The independent variable was training feedback/testing, which had 4 levels: (a) no test and no feedback; (b) test with an IBM answer format, but no item feedback; (c) test with a punchboard answer format and immediate individual item feedback; and (d) double testing with punchboard answer format and training feedback. Pressey punchboards provided the programmed testing training. This device registers a response and indicates the correctness of the choice immediately. If initially wrong, an S continued working until that item was correct. Separate ANOVAs were done for (a) number of driving accidents, and (b) moving violations year by year in the 3 yrs following training. For the 1st yr only, the punchboard-twice drivers had one-fourth the accidents of the no-test control drivers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neuropsychiatric adverse effects of antiparkinsonian drugs. Characteristics, evaluation and treatment

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological condition that causes considerable disability in the elderly. Drugs used to treat PD, such as levodopa, offer symptomatic relief but often have neuropsychiatric adverse effects, most prominently psychosis and delirium. Aged patients and those with dementia are particularly vulnerable to these adverse effects. Evaluating PD patients with drug-induced neuropsychiatric adverse effects is made difficult by their complex clinical presentations. The treatment of drug-induced psychosis and delirium begins with manipulating the antiparkinsonian drug regimen, but this frequently worsens motor function. Atypical antipsychotics such as clozapine have been successfully employed to treat the psychosis without worsening the motor disability. Patient intolerance of clozapine therapy has prompted open-label studies with newer agents such as risperidone, remoxipride, zotepine, mianserin and ondansetron.     

Psychophysiological stress reactions in female and male urban bus drivers.

Male and female urban bus drivers were studied at work during everyday bus driving in urban traffic (work condition) and watching educational programs (comparison condition). The results showed that (a) both sexes had significantly higher adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol excretion levels during work than during the comparison session; (b) during work and inactivity, there were no significant sex differences in hormone excretion for either hormone; (c) the percentage increase during work compared with control levels for all hormones was equally high in the female group as in the male group; and (d) there were no significant sex differences in self-reported mood (distress, well-being, control) during bus driving. The results are discussed in terms of type and intensity of stressors, gender differences in costs of adaptation, preventive measures, and the role of social influences in psychoneuroendocrine regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Navigation and the mobility of older drivers

OBJECTIVES: Age related difficulties in navigating are believed to restrict driving mobility. A decline in mobility can have negative implications for peoples' well-being and independence. This problem may be more serious than the increased risk of collision that occurs with old age. The aim of this research was to determine the extent to which age-related difficulties in navigating restrict car travel. METHODS: A postal questionnaire survey of 1,186 United Kingdom (U.K.) motorists (aged 21 to 85 years) was conducted to determine more about people's mobility, the restrictions to their driving, and their driving experience. RESULTS: As predicted, respondents were found to report more navigation problems with increasing old age. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that navigation problems relate to reduced mobility (miles per week, trips per week, and average driving frequency) when controlling for other predictors of mobility (age, gender, employment, health, residential location, fitness, and ability to afford driving). DISCUSSION: This research highlights the need to have better navigational support for drivers, particularly elderly drivers. Improved roads signs and in-vehicle navigation aids are two solutions that might help enhance the mobility of elderly drivers.     

Human behavioral contributions to climate change: Psychological and contextual drivers.

We are facing rapid changes in the global climate, and these changes are attributable to human behavior. Humans produce this global impact through our use of natural resources, multiplied by the vast increase in population seen in the past 50 to 100 years. Our goal in this article is to examine the underlying psychosocial causes of human impact, primarily through patterns of reproduction and consumption. We identify and distinguish individual, societal, and behavioral predictors of environmental impact. Relevant research in these areas (as well as areas that would be aided by greater attention by psychologists) are reviewed. We conclude by highlighting ethical issues that emerge when considering how to address human behavioral contributions to climate change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex as a determinant of driving skills: Women drivers.

"An auto driver's behavior was judged either dangerous or safe in an unusual, stressful, but relatively safe situation. This behavior was found to be related to the driver's sex at the 0.00001 level of confidence." Dangerous incidents were usually associated with females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Drug and narcotic use among Danish drivers

An investigation was made of the presence of drugs and narcotics in samples from Danish drivers having violated the Danish Road Traffic act in 1993. Four hundred and twenty-five cases were received, but only 317 cases were analysed for drugs or narcotics. In 256 cases drugs or narcotics were found present with a total of 531 findings. In 112 of the cases only one compound was found present. Benzodiazepines, morphine, methadone, cannabinoids and amphetamine were the most frequently occurring compounds with 239, 52, 42, 32 and 28 findings, respectively. The study has shown that especially the benzodiazepines together with the illicit drugs seem to constitute a threat to traffic safety. For two countries very much alike, namely Denmark and Norway this study has shown a remarkable difference in the number of samples analysed and the results found.     

DWI prevention: Profiles of drinkers who serve as designated drivers.

This study was designed to profile drinkers who serve as designated drivers (DDs) and to determine if drinkers who are at risk for driving while intoxicated (DWI) serve as DDs. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses on data from 1,393 computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATIs) and 913 barroom surveys showed that DDs, relative to non-DDs, tend to be at-risk, heavier drinkers. Logistic regression using CATI data showed that DDs were more often heavy drinkers and reported higher levels of driving after drinking and riding with intoxicated drivers (RID). Logistic regression using barroom data showed that DDs reported more driving after drinking, in spite of drinking less often outside the home. DDs were also much more likely to have used a DD. These findings are consistent with those from several related studies that showed that drinkers who used DDs or free safe (taxi) rides tended to be heavier drinkers who reported more DWI. Future research may benefit from examining why at-risk drinkers take steps to avoid DWI on some occasions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characteristics and treatment of mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There has been no thorough clinicopathological analysis of a large number of cases with mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features of and therapeutic strategy for this ailment. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred and fifty-nine cases of mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas were analyzed clinicopathologically. RESULTS: Mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas was found in 177 males and 82 females (M:F=2.2:1). The mean age was 65.5 years. Jaundice, diabetes mellitus and a past history of pancreatitis were found in 15-19% of the cases. The tumor was most frequently (62%) found in the head of the pancreas. Pathologically, hyperplasia or adenoma was found in 58 cases, and adenocarcinoma in 160 cases. Five-year survival rate by the Kaplan-Meier method was 82.6% in all of the cases, and the post-operative survival curve was much better in cases with this type of carcinoma than in cases with ordinary pancreatic duct cell carcinoma (5-year survival rate: 17.3%). Organ-function preserving procedures, such as duodenum preserving subtotal resection of the head of the pancreas or spleen preserving distal pancreatectomy, might be recommended for this disease without infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: Mucin-producing tumor has unique clinicopathological characteristics, such as the dilated main pancreatic duct or branches, dilatation of the orifice of the papilla of Vater, or a good prognosis. Organ-function preserving procedures should be recommended in some cases with this ailment.     

Stress prevention in bus drivers: Evaluation of 13 natural experiments.

The research aim was to select, compare, and analyze interventions and preventive actions from international bus companies to decrease bus drivers' occupational stress and sickness absenteeism. Through networking, international surveys, and literature study, 13 natural experiments were identified with an acceptable research design rating. Interventions were both work and person directed. Principles of worker participation were often followed. The variety in intervention programs, outcome measures, case evaluations, and methodological flaws makes it difficult to present a general picture of program effectiveness. However, analyses on more objective and more subjective outcomes do point at positive effects. This study suggests that stress prevention that combines adequate interventions and proper implementation may be beneficial to both the employee and the company. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The sleep of long-haul truck drivers

Antibiotics may be a helpful addition to your therapy for IBD. Although it sounds as if there are a number of side effects, most patients do well, without any problems. If you develop new or worsening symptoms, or if you have other concerns, feel free to discuss them with your physician.     

Intrinsic motivational drivers in medical networks from a neuroscientific perspective.

The relationship between motivation, performance, and incentives in the context of health care delivery is of high interest for the rising number of networks and other provider groups under pay-for-performance programs. Because recent literature suggests that intrinsic motivation plays a decisive role, this study analyzes the intrinsic motivational factors that drive physicians' behavior and performance by examining various motivational dimensions derived from neuroscientific approaches. The aim was to determine the existence of different motivational groups in a sample of 117 German network physicians. The motivational groups were established based on the individuals' combination of three neuroscientifically based personality traits. The cluster analysis identified four distinct clusters in the sample that allowed for the assumption that different motivational clusters of physicians do exist. Relating to the clusters, there also were clearly differing attitudes toward different forms of incentives. These results should help in finding more appropriate incentives, for example, in pay-for-performance schemes, in order to motivate network physicians and enhance their performance and effectiveness, and they partially explain the weak evidence of recent pay-for-performance evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A geographical analysis of drunken drivers

The "nearest-neighbor" spatial approach proved a useful tool in defining the geographic distribution pattern of persons arrested for drunken driving.     

Psychophysiologic sensitization to headlight glare among professional drivers with and without cardiovascular disease.

EEG and cardiovascular (CV) response and recovery to simulated headlight glare (the glare pressor test) were examined in 4 groups of male professional drivers (age 25-52 yrs)—12 with ischemic heart disease (IHD), 12 with hypertension (HTN), 10 with borderline hypertension (BHTN), and 34 who were healthy—and in 23 non-professional driver controls—to assess sensitization to this night driving stressor in relation to degree of CV disease severity. After glare exposure the IHD drivers showed the most pronounced alpha blockade, a rise in diastolic BP (DBP), and, unlike the other groups, a persistent fall in finger pulse volume. The BHTN group reacted initially with DBP rise and finger pulse drop, mainly without CNS arousal. The DBP remained constant in normotensive professional drivers older than 40. The drivers' CV responses to glare were inversely related to reported stressors and subjective experience. Anxiety trait and long work hours were associated with heightened central arousal to glare in professional drivers. Results suggest that there may be progressive degrees of sensitization to glare exposure in these samples, with the least among normotensive professional drivers older than 40, moderate levels in borderline hypertensives, and the most severe in drivers with IHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)