Disaster researchers need to develop a standardized battery of measurement instruments of key variables determined to be important in assessing disaster impact and recovery. Such a tool kit is critical for insuring a quick and rapid response of researchers and will facilitate research comparability. This paper introduced one such measure, the domestic assets index, which is designed to assess levels and changes in household living conditions. Also discussed are, the theory behind the measure, its utility for disaster research and the measures reliability and validity using data collected in six sample communities located in the United States, Italy, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Turkey, and Peru.
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