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Geospatial Analysis for Identifying Socially Vulnerable Areas to Natural Disasters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 July 2025

Maryam Salari ,
Alam Abbasiyazdi  and
Hamidreza Shabanikiya
Maryam Salari
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, https://ror.org/04sfka033Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Alam Abbasiyazdi
Affiliation:
Student Research Committee, School of Health, https://ror.org/04sfka033Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Hamidreza Shabanikiya*
Affiliation:
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, https://ror.org/04sfka033Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Department of Management Sciences and Health Economics, School of Health, https://ror.org/04sfka033Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Hamidreza Shabanikiya; Emails: shabanikiahr@mums.ac.ir; rshabanykia@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objectives

Disaster risk reduction measures are now being developed based on social vulnerability. This study aimed to identify socially vulnerable areas to disasters in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran.

Methods

The research utilized a mixed method approach conducted in 2 stages. First, a vulnerability index was created using 8 sub-indices, and the value of the index was calculated for each of the 91 rural districts in the study area. In the second stage, spatial analysis using Anselin’s Local Moran’s I was performed to identify the most vulnerable districts.

Results

Results indicated that 40 of 91 districts, covering 49% of the total area, had high social vulnerability to disasters. Anselin’s Local Moran’s I analysis identified 2 high-high clusters consisting of 5 districts. The study also found that areas with higher social vulnerability were more susceptible to natural hazards such as floods and earthquakes.

Conclusions

Nearly half of the studied areas exhibited a high level of social vulnerability and were at risk of natural disasters. Implementing general measures to improve the socio-economic status of the population, such as increasing education and income levels, along with specific actions like assisting vulnerable populations in relocating to safer areas, can help mitigate disaster risks.

Keywords

disaster planningearthquakesfloodsrisk assessmentvulnerable populations

Information

Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 19 , 2025 , e208
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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