The impact of chronic pain patients' psychotropic drug knowledge and warning labels on the decision whether to drive a car or not |
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Authors: | Veldhuijzen D S van Wijck A J M Verster J C Kalkman C J Kenemans J L Olivier B Volkerts E R |
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Affiliation: | Department of Psychopharmacology, Universityof Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. DVeldhuijzen@umaryland.edu |
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Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: The attitudes of patients towards driving a car while taking medication with psychotropic side effects is unclear. A growing number of patients use these psychotropic medicines on a daily basis, and this may interfere with their ability to drive a car. METHODS: By means of a survey, we examined attitudes towards driving while using psychotropic medicinal drugs and the effect of warning labels on the decision whether to drive a car or not in patients with chronic pain. RESULTS: Fifty-eight of 100 patients possessing a driver's license used psychotropic medication. Despite warning labels affixed on the packages that these drugs might impair driving ability, the majority (71%) of these patients continued driving a car. A point of concern is that 40% of these patients reported not to be more cautious in traffic after taking psychotropic drugs. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey indicate that drug warning labels applied by Dutch pharmacies do not significantly change attitudes towards driving a car in patients taking medicinal drugs with psychotropic side effects. Future road-safety campaigns should pay more attention to the impairing effects of psychotropic drugs on driving. |
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