Driving Outside the Wire: Examining Factors Impacting Veterans’ Postdeployment Driving

Combat Veterans (CVs) deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan experience driving difficulty, based on medical conditions and/or deployment exposures, elevating their risk of motor vehicle crash-related injury or death. To address grounded theory rigor and incorporate constructs such as the Person Environmen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:OTJR (Thorofare, N.J.) N.J.), 2020-10, Vol.40 (4), p.235-244
Main Authors: Winter, Sandra, Jeghers, Mary, Reid, Emily, McGowan, Cassandra, Young, Mary Ellen, Classen, Sherrilene
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Community involvement
Community participation
Driver behavior
Driving
Environmental effects
Iterative methods
Motor vehicles
Traffic safety
Veterans
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Summary:Combat Veterans (CVs) deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan experience driving difficulty, based on medical conditions and/or deployment exposures, elevating their risk of motor vehicle crash-related injury or death. To address grounded theory rigor and incorporate constructs such as the Person Environment Occupation Performance model, we revised the Hannold et al. (2013) conceptual framework. We conducted two focus groups with seven CVs. Conceptual framework revisions were based on an iterative process and thematic analysis. We elicited CVs’ perspectives on deployment training, driving pre- and postdeployment, strategies, and intervention preferences. Personal, environmental, and task factors underpinned CVs’ driving. Participants described triggers (e.g., stressful stimuli), use of environmental (e.g., car controls) or personal (e.g., avoiding traffic) strategies, and outcomes of appropriate or risky driving. Findings illustrated CVs’ driving difficulty and informed development of a Veteran-centric driving intervention. Improving driving fitness has implications for Veterans’ participation and community integration.
ISSN:1539-4492
1938-2383
DOI:10.1177/1539449220914533