Study: Many have terrorism-related fear

CHICAGO, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- More than six years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, many U.S. adults are experiencing terrorism-related thoughts and fear, a study found.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago examined the extent to which the strength of people's post-Sept. 11, 2001, beliefs and fears -- assessed in 2003 -- predicted a range of psychological distress and alcohol abuse in 2005.

Study leader Judith Richman colleagues used data derived from a mail survey, which began before Sept. 11, 2001, and continued in 2005.

The researchers measured the effect of larger, macro-level sociological stressors -- rather than personal or micro-level events, such as a death in the family or financial difficulties -- on mental health.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Public Health Association, found 30 percent of participants reported feeling very or extremely more pessimistic about world peace and 27.6 percent reported they had less faith in the government's ability to protect them.

"Our research showed that, four years after 9/11, terrorism fears and beliefs predicted distress and escape motives for drinking similarly in both men and women, with only men showing an increase in deleterious drinking levels," Richman said in a statement.