Environmental Barriers
For people with limited mobility, environmental barriers include not only physical and structural barriers, such as uneven pavement or poorly lighted areas, but also societal and psychological barriers, such as discrimination and attitudes, that limit a person’s ability to do the things they want to do. We asked participants how often they experienced barriers in their day-to-day life and if they did, were they big problems or little problems. The five areas we asked about were: Policy, Physical and Structural, Attitude and Support, Work and School, and Service and Assistance.

When compared to a sample of people with and without disabilities who completed a survey (Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey), amputees reported experiencing more barriers in all areas except Work and School. The difference was greatest in the area of Physical and Structural barriers.

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