Elaboration and validation of educational booklet content for elderly drivers: maintaining efficient and safe driving

• Grant number: 16/24007-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2017
• End date: April 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Maria Helena Morgani de Almeida
• Grantee: Marjorie Caroline Yamamoto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Despite the significant mortality of senior citizens in traffic, the number of drivers of this age range in Brazil has increased. Changes related to aging and environmental conditions, when adverse to a vehicular meaning, can be offset or reduced in part by self-care practices. Self-care guidelines - in the form of educational materials - can be adopted by the occupational therapist so that elderly drivers could drive independently and safely for as long as possible. Objective: To develop and validate the educational booklet content with an emphasis on self-care practices to reduce the difficulties of elderly drivers and to assist them in dealing with adverse environmental conditions. Methodology: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study using the Delphi methodology, realized in three stages: 1st) production of the preliminary version of an educational booklet based on bibliographical and documentary survey; 2nd) submission and evaluation of the draft version of the booklet by two groups of specialists: 1) occupational therapists working on gerontology (n=8) and 2) professionals on the following areas / specialties: geriatric medical doctor (m.d.), traffic m.d., ophthalmologist, traffic engineering specialist, physiotherapist, phonoaudiologist, pharmacist and psychologist (n=8). Opinions and suggestions of the two groups will be incorporated to the booklet, generating a revised version, 3) submission and evaluation of the revised version by the two groups of specialists. Items considered adequate by 80% or more of the experts will persist and the others items modified based on suggestions given by those professionals, resulting on a validated version of the content. (AU)