Integrated Seismic Risk Assessment in Nepal

As Nepal is at high risk of earthquakes, the district-wide (VDC/Municipality level) study has been performed for vulnerability assessment of seismic-hazard, and the hazard-risk study is incorporated with social conditions as it has become a crucial issue in recent years. There is an interrelationship between hazards, physical risk, and the social characteristics of populations which are significant for policy-makers and individuals. Mapping the spatial variability of average annual loss (seismic risk) and social vulnerability discretely does not reflect the true nature of parameters contributing to the earthquake risk, so when the integrated risk is mapped, such combined spatial distribution becomes more evident. The purpose of this paper is to compute the risk analysis from the exposure model of the country using OpenQuake and then integrate the results with socio-economic parameters. The methodology of seismic-risk assessment and the way of combining the results of the physical risk and socio-economic data to develop an integrated vulnerability score of the regions has been described. This study considers all 75 districts and corresponding VDC/Municipalities using the available census. The combined vulnerability score has been developed and presented by integrating earthquake risk and social vulnerability aspects of the country and represented in form of the map produced using ArcGIS 10. The knowledge and information of the relationship between earthquake hazards and the demographic characteristics of the population in the vulnerable area are imperative to mitigate the local impact of earthquakes. Therefore, we utilize social vulnerability study as part of a comprehensive risk management framework to recuperate and recover from natural disasters.

Examining Social Vulnerability and the Association With COVID-19 Incidence in Harris County, Texas

Studies have investigated the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. However, few studies have examined small geographic units such as census tracts, examined geographic regions with large numbers of Hispanic and Black populations, controlled for testing rates, and incorporated stay-at-home measures into their analyses. Understanding the relationship between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence is critical to understanding the interplay between social determinants and implementing risk mitigation guidelines to curtail the spread of infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and SARS-CoV-2 incidence while controlling for testing rates and the proportion of those who stayed completely at home among 783 Harris County, Texas census tracts. SARS-CoV-2 incidence data were collected between May 15 and October 1, 2020. The SVI and its themes were the primary exposures. Median percent time at home was used as a covariate to measure the effect of staying at home on the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Data were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and negative binomial regressions (NBR) controlling for testing rates and staying at home. Results showed that a unit increase in the SVI score and the SVI themes were associated with significant increases in SARS-CoV-2 incidence. The incidence risk ratio (IRR) was 1.090 (95% CI, 1.082, 1.098) for the overall SVI; 1.107 (95% CI, 1.098, 1.115) for minority status/language; 1.090 (95% CI, 1.083, 1.098) for socioeconomic; 1.060 (95% CI, 1.050, 1.071) for household composition/disability, and 1.057 (95% CI, 1.047, 1.066) for housing type/transportation. When controlling for stay-at-home, the association between SVI themes and SARS-CoV-2 incidence remained significant. In the NBR model that included all four SVI themes, only the socioeconomic and minority status/language themes remained significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Community-level infections were not explained by a communities' inability to stay at home. These findings suggest that community-level social vulnerability, such as socioeconomic status, language barriers, use of public transportation, and housing density may play a role in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection regardless of the ability of some communities to stay at home because of the need to work or other reasons.

Differential Effects of Race/Ethnicity and Social Vulnerability on COVID-19 Positivity, Hospitalization, and Death in the San Francisco Bay Area

BACKGROUND: Higher COVID-19 incidence and morbidity have been amply documented for US Black and Hispanic populations but not as clearly for other racial and ethnic groups. Efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying racial health disparities can be confounded by the relationship between race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. OBJECTIVE: Examine race/ethnicity and social vulnerability effects on COVID-19 outcomes in the San Francisco Bay Area, an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse region. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Geocoded patient records from the University of California, San Francisco Health system between January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent polymerase chain reaction testing for COVID-19. EXPOSURES: Race/ethnicity and Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). MAIN MEASURES: COVID-19 test frequency, positivity, hospitalization rates, and mortality. KEY RESULTS: Higher social vulnerability, but not race/ethnicity, was associated with less frequent testing yet a higher likelihood of testing positive. Asian hospitalization rates (11.5\%) were double that of White patients (5.4\%) and exceeded the rates for Black (9.3\%) and Hispanic (6.9\%) groups. A modest relationship between higher hospitalization rates and increasing social vulnerability was evident only for White individuals. The Hispanic group had the lowest mean age at death and thus highest years of expected life lost due to COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 outcomes were not consistently explained by greater socioeconomic vulnerability. Asian individuals showed disproportionately high rates of hospitalization regardless of socioeconomic status. Study of the San Francisco Bay Area population not only provides valuable insights into the differential contributions of race/ethnicity and social determinants of health to COVID-19 outcomes but also emphasizes that all racial groups have experienced the toll of the pandemic, albeit in different ways and to varying degrees.

Índices de vulnerabilidade social e programático para idosos que vivem no domicilio

Objectives: Build Social and Programmatic Vulnerability indices for older people living at home and verify the association of vulnerability components (individual, social and programmatic). Methods: It is a population based study, household and transversal survey type, conducted with 701 community older adults. Descriptive and bivariate exploratory spatial analysis was conducted (p≤ 0.05) as well as analysis of Main Components. Results: By means of the indices, it was observed that peripheral census tracts presented very high social vulnerability levels and that the main variables representative of the programmatic component – access to dentist via SUS, medications, and search of the same care location. It was verified that only 3.9% of the older adults did not present some level of vulnerability (individual, social and programmatic). Conclusion: Older adults are exposed to multiple vulnerability conditions, and Social and Programmatic Vulnerability indices are important tools for managers’ decision making. Objetivos: Construir los índices de vulnerabilidad social y vulnerabilidad de programas para personas mayores que viven en el hogar y verificar la asociación entre los componentes de vulnerabilidad (individual, social y programática). Métodos: Este es un estudio basado en la población del tipo de encuesta de hogares y transversal realizada con 701 miembros de la comunidad de ancianos. Se realizaron análisis exploratorios, descriptivos y bivariados (p≤ 0.05) y componentes principales. Resultados: A través de los índices, se descubrió que los sectores censales periféricos mostraban niveles muy altos de vulnerabilidad social y que las principales variables representativas del componente programático eran: acceso al dentista por SUS, medicamentos y demanda desde el mismo lugar de servicio. Se encontró que solo el 3.9% de los ancianos no tenían ninguna condición de vulnerabilidad (individual, social y programática). Conclusión: Los ancianos están expuestos a múltiples condiciones de vulnerabilidad; Los índices de vulnerabilidad social y programática son herramientas importantes para la toma de decisiones por parte de los gerentes. Objetivos: Construir os Índices de Vulnerabilidade Social e de Vulnerabilidade Programática para idosos que vivem no domicílio e verificar a associação entre os componentes da vulnerabilidade (individual, social e programática). Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de base populacional do tipo inquérito domiciliar e transversal conduzido com 701 idosos comunitários. Realizou-se análise espacial exploratório, descritiva e bivariada (p≤ 0,05) e de Componentes Principais. Resultados: Através dos índices, verificou-se que os setores censitários periféricos apresentaram níveis de vulnerabilidade social muito elevados e que as principais variáveis representativas do componente programático foram - acesso ao dentista pelo SUS, à medicamentos e procura do mesmo local de atendimento. Constatou-se que apenas 3,9% dos idosos não apresentavam nenhuma condição de vulnerabilidade (individual, social e programático). Conclusão: Os idosos estão expostos as múltiplas condições de vulnerabilidade; sendo os Índices de Vulnerabilidade Social e Programática importantes ferramentas de tomada de decisão pelos gestores.