Of the World But Not in It: Barriers to Community Access and Education for Persons With Environmental Sensitivities

Abstract

In this article I explore community access—primarily the lack thereof—for persons with disabling environmental sensitivities (ESs). Respondents with chemical and electrical sensitivities described their level of access to common community resources that most persons take for granted, including communities of worship, grocery stores, health food stores, community meetings, public libraries, the homes of extended family members and friends, offices of dentists and medical doctors, public parks, and classes at their local universities. Most had tentative access at best. In addition, participants listed the disability barriers that most restricted them from public participation. Results are described using both quantitative and qualitative data and the problem is analyzed within the context of industrial capitalism's influence upon institutions.

Acknowledgments

I thank Amanda Lindberg for her help in coding the community variables other than education.