Objectives:
To appreciate disasters as strategic research sites
To know how to access cross-national data bases
We discuss research opportunities with disasters, and certain issues of particular significance to disaster settings, such as transient data, practitioner-researcher cooperation, and automated retrieval systems. In addition, we consider validity and reliability which are important in all kinds of research. Some cross-national data bases are identified, and we discuss areas of research strength and areas of greatest need in disaster.