Social vulnerability indices: a scoping review

Scoping review
by
Mah, Jasmine Cassy et al

Release Date

2023

Geography

International

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

This scoping review broadly aimed to map the literature on social vulnerability indices (SVIs). Our main objectives were to characterize social vulnerability indices, understand the composition of social vulnerability indices, and describe how these indices are utilized in the literature.

Findings/Key points

We provide an overview of SVIs in the literature up to December 2021, providing a novel summary of commonly used variables for social vulnerability indices. We also demonstrate that SVIs are commonly used in several fields of research, especially since 2010. Whether in the field of disaster planning, environmental science or health sciences, the SVIs are composed of similar items and domains. SVIs can be used to predict diverse outcomes, with implications for future use as tools in interdisciplinary collaborations.

Design/methods

Scoping review (292 studies included)

Keywords

Equity
Poverty