Consumers with disabilities empowered by American Disabilities Act

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Consumers with disabilities empowered by American Disabilities Act

29 Mar 2005 Medical News Today

Respondents were asked to report on their awareness of the ADA and to

evaluate whether conditions had improved over the years 1994-1998 in

public transportation. A study publishing in the latest issue of the

Journal of Consumer Affairs is the first to present the perspectives

of people with disabilities regarding the effectiveness of the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The study asks those for whom the policy was designed how well the

policy works. The authors examined the responses from a national

sample of 1000 noninstitutionalized persons with disabilities.

The study found that respondents who perceived greater access to the

marketplace are more satisfied with life and the more consumers with

disabilities interact in the market place, the more satisfied with

life they are.

" This indicates the value behind efforts designed to empower

consumers with disabilities by offering services that assist them…

and by creating environments that enable them to experience full

participation in society, " the authors Carol Kaufman-Scarborough and

Stacey Menzel Baker state.

Respondents were asked to report on their awareness of the and to

evaluate whether conditions had improved over the years 1994-1998 in

public transportation, public facilities/theaters/stores, public

attitude toward the disabled, and portrayals of disabled people in

the media and advertising.

Slightly more than half (54.3%) of the respondents reported knowing

about a " law " regarding disabilities that was passed within the ten

years before their interviews. Approximately that same number could

identify it as the ADA. Those that did name the ADA were more likely

to perceive positive changes and improvements over those who could

not name it or were unaware of a law being passed.

Yet, the respondents' level of life satisfaction did not vary with

their awareness of the ADA. Their level of satisfaction and

dissatisfaction varies regardless of their knowledge of the act.

The author's findings support that the legislation is beneficial and

that access to public facilities has an impact on life

satisfaction. " However our findings do indicate that the

implementation of the ADA is incomplete, especially educating

consumers with disabilities about their consumer rights, " the authors

conclude.

This study is published in the current issue of Journal of Consumer

Affairs.