Burn survivors and the Americans with Disabilities Act

In this article the major provisions of the recently revised Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its application to burn survivors are explained. For professionals working with this population, the ADA is a model for dealing with issues of follow-up and long-term patient adjustment. An overview of previous laws applying to the rights of the disabled in the USA is followed by a brief history of the ADA's development. Each of the five major provisions of the act is discussed in detail. Case studies of burn survivors are used to demonstrate the way in which knowledge of the ADA can be used to anticipate and deal with potential complications of re-entry after hospitalization.