Participants completed a questionnaire assessing age, gender, educational level, occupation, income, estimated financial loss from the riots, mental health services received, and alcohol and tobacco use before and after the riots; they also completed two self-report measures of psychological distress. The results showed that, four months after the riots, many victims seemed to be suffering from symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Older subjects, regardless of income or length of time spent in the U.S., evidenced more severe psychological reactions than did younger victims. A greater proportion of males than females reported increased usage of tobacco and alcohol following the riots. Clinicians need to help this population regain control over their lives, restore their sense of trust, and guide them to reassess their life priorities. 3 tables and 54 references