¿Son efectivos nuestros centros de reconocimiento médico valorando la aptitud psicofísica para permisos de conducción y licencias de armas? / Are our medical centres for fitness to drive and firearms licences effective?

Objetivos. Este artículo se propuso evaluar la efectividad de los centros de reconocimiento médico en la valoración de la aptitud psicofísica para permisos de conducción y licencias de armas, describiendo las diferencias observadas en sendas valoraciones. Método. Mediante un diseño transversal se tomó una muestra representativa de titulares de permisos de conducción y licencia de armas calificados como aptos en la provincia de Málaga durante 2014 (363 informes para permisos de conducción y 626 para licencia de armas), evaluando la concordancia de la aptitud psicofísica informada por los centros con los registros del Servicio Andaluz de Salud. Se estimó la proporción de dichos titulares que no reunirían los requisitos legales de aptitud, analizando el origen de las discordancias en relación con la información de la que dispusieron los centros. Resultados. Se estimó la discordancia en la valoración de la aptitud psicofísica para permisos de conducción en 15,4% (IC 95%: 12,0 a 19,4), proporción 2,7 veces mayor para licencias de armas (41,4%), relacionándose el origen de la discordancia con la información que dispuso el centro más que a la calificación realizada por estos. Conclusiones. Es limitada la efectividad de los centros en la valoración de la aptitud psicofísica para permisos de conducción y, especialmente, para licencias de armas. Podría mejorar con un mayor seguimiento de su actividad, disponiendo de personal sanitario con formación adecuada y acceso a los registros asistenciales de los solicitantes (AU)

Objectives. This article aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of medical centres in the assessment of medical fitness for driving and gun licences, as well as describing the differences between them. Method. Using a crossover design and a representative sample of holders of driving and firearms licences in the province of Malaga during 2014 (363 reports for driving licenses and 626 for firearms licenses), an assessment was made of fitness report issued by the centres by comparing it with the records of the Andalusian public health service. The proportion of those that would not meet the legal eligibility requirements was calculated. An analysis was made of the origin of the disagreements as regards the information made available by the centres. Results. The discordance in the assessment of fitness to drive was estimated as 15.4% (95% CI: 12.0 to 19.4), while for firearms licenses it was 2.7 times higher (41.4%). The origin of the discordance is related to the information provided to the centres, rather than the assessment made by them. Conclusions. The limited effectiveness of the centres in the assessment of fitness for driving and, especially, for firearms licenses, could be improved by increased monitoring of their activity, providing health workers with adequate training and access to healthcare records of applicants (AU)

[Are our medical centres for fitness to drive and firearms licences effective?]. / ¿Son efectivos nuestros centros de reconocimiento médico valorando la aptitud psicofísica para permisos de conducción y licencias de armas?

OBJECTIVES: This article aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of medical centres in the assessment of medical fitness for driving and gun licences, as well as describing the differences between them. METHOD: Using a crossover design and a representative sample of holders of driving and firearms licences in the province of Malaga during 2014 (363 reports for driving licenses and 626 for firearms licenses), an assessment was made of fitness report issued by the centres by comparing it with the records of the Andalusian public health service. The proportion of those that would not meet the legal eligibility requirements was calculated. An analysis was made of the origin of the disagreements as regards the information made available by the centres. RESULTS: The discordance in the assessment of fitness to drive was estimated as 15.4% (95% CI: 12.0 to 19.4), while for firearms licenses it was 2.7 times higher (41.4%). The origin of the discordance is related to the information provided to the centres, rather than the assessment made by them. CONCLUSIONS: The limited effectiveness of the centres in the assessment of fitness for driving and, especially, for firearms licenses, could be improved by increased monitoring of their activity, providing health workers with adequate training and access to healthcare records of applicants.