Social Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards

摘要: Objective. County-level socioeconomic and demographic data were used to construct an index of social vulnerability environmental hazards, called the Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) for United States based on 1990 data. Methods. Using a factor analytic approach, 42 variables reduced 11 independent factors that accounted about 76 percent variance. These placed in additive model compute summary score—the Index. Results. There are some distinct spatial patterns SoVI, with most vulnerable counties clustered metropolitan east, south Texas, Mississippi Delta region. Conclusion. Those contribute overall score often different each county, underscoring interactive nature vulnerability—some components increase vulnerability; others moderate effects.