Exploring the impact of a natural disaster on the health and psychological well-being of older adults.

The failure of researchers to consider the temporal dimensions of the stress process may be at least partially responsible for the disappointing empirical findings from research on stress and health. We argue that careful consideration must be given to the time lag between the occurrence of a stressor and initial symptom development, as well as the length of time that is required for symptoms to abate. Using a synthetic cohort design, we examine the length of time needed for symptoms to dissipate following a natural disaster (Hurricane Alicia). Findings from a random community survey of older adults suggest that the major effects of the storm diminish in about 16 months. Significant gender differences were found in this adjustment process. The implications of these findings for stress research are discussed.