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9-11, Personal Stress, Mental Health, and Sense of Control Among Older Adults

¹ School of Public Health
² School of Medicine
³ College of Public Service, Saint Louis University, Missouri.
⁴ Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
⁵ Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis, Indiana.
⁶ Saint Louis Veterans Administration Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
⁷ Indianapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Address correspondence to Fredric D. Wolinsky at the School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Street, Room 372, St. Louis, MO 63104-1314. E-mail: wolinsky{at}slu.edu. After July 1, 2003, address correspondence to Fredric D. Wolinsky, 200 Hawkins Drive, E205 General Hospital, Iowa City, IA 52242.

Objectives. We assessed whether the events of 9-11 affected the personal stress, mental health, or sense of control of older adults participating in an ongoing longitudinal study, and whether baseline characteristics were associated with the magnitude of any such changes.

Methods. Personal stress, mental health, and sense of control were measured at baseline and at six bimonthly follow-up interviews among 1,662 patients. Of these, 437 had the opportunity to complete three interviews before and after 9-11, with 291 (67%) completing all six. We performed graphic comparisons, paired t tests, classification based on standard errors of measurement (SEMs), and multiple linear regressions for patients who completed all six interviews.

Results. No noticeable changes in aggregate trends for personal stress or mental health were associated with 9-11. However, 9-11 was associated with an aggregate decline in sense of control. This decline in sense of control was greater among those who were working for pay, had more comfortable incomes, and reported greater religiosity.

Discussion. Older adults more closely resembling those who died during 9-11 and those with greater levels of religiosity were most likely to have their sense of control affected by this catastrophic event.