Vulnerability index: Difference between revisions

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A '''vulnerability index''' is a measure of the exposure of a population to some hazard. Typically, the index is a composite of multiple quantitative indicators that via some formula, delivers a single numerical result. Through such an index “diverse"diverse issues can be combined into a standardised framework…makingframework...making comparisons possible”possible".<ref name=app6>[http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/news/events/ccamts/appendix06.pdf The Climate Vulnerability Index:relevance to the Tourism Sector]</ref> For instance, indicators from the [[physical sciences]] can be combined with social, medical and even psychological variables to evaluate potential complications for [[disaster planning]].

The origin of vulnerability indexes as a policy planning tool began with the [[United Nations Environmental Program]]. One of the participants in the early task forces has also conducted secondary research documenting the evolution of the analytic tool through various stages.<ref name=uneplist>[http://www.unep.org/ourplanet/imgversn/103/17_mea2.htm List of Vulnerability Studies]</ref> The term and methodology then expanded<ref>[http://www.macchomeless.org/pdf/ResultsFactSheet-Omaha.pdf Homelessness and the Vulnerability Index: A Guide to Registry Week Results in the Omaha Metro Region]</ref> through medical literature and social work as discussed by Dr. James O'Connell of Boston Healthcare for the Homeless.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jedc.org/forms/Vulnerability%20Index.pdf |title=Vulnerability Index: Prioritizing the Street Homeless Population by Mortality Risk |author=Juneau Economic Development Council |date=2009|format=PDF|publisher=Common Ground |accessdate=25 May 2013}}</ref><ref>O'Connor, James| Unpublished public forum presentation|University of Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara, California 2011</ref>

== Basic methodology ==

The basic methodology of constructing a vulnerability index is described by [[University of Malta]] researcher Lino Briguglio.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Briguglio |first=Lino |date=1992 |title=Preliminary Study on the Construction of an Index for Ranking Countries According to their Economic Vulnerability |journal=UNCTAD/LDC/Misc.4

}}</ref> The individual measures are weighted according to their relative importance. A cumulative score is then generated, typically by adding the weighted values. [[Decision tree]]s can evaluate alternative policy options. Much of the original research has been evaluated by Lino Briguglio and presenters at Oxford, providing a body of secondary source material.

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A composite vulnerability index grew out of the work of [[South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission]] (SOPAC), [[Fiji]], and the Expert Group on Vulnerability Indexes<ref>Pantin, D. (1997). Alternative Ecological Vulnerability Indicators for Developing Countries with Special Reference to SIDS. Report prepared for the Expert Group on Vulnerability Index. UN(DESA), 17–19 December 1997.</ref> affiliated with the United Nations, in response to a call made in the Barbados Plan of Action, the [[Alliance of Small Island States]] (AOSIS).<ref name=tr0275>[http://www.sopac.int/data/virlib/TR/TR0275.pdf SOPOAC Technical Report 275]</ref>

Bruguglio participated in development of the vulnerability index model for international organizations of small island developing states.<ref>Briguglio, L. (1992). Preliminary Study on the Construction of an Index for Ranking Countries According to their Economic Vulnerability, UNCTAD/LDC/Misc.4 (1992).</ref> University of Malta also hosts the Islands and Small States Institute, Foundation for International Studies. Other institutional participants included the New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) Programme.<ref name=tr0275/> In 1996, the concept of a composite vulnerability index had been tentatively taken up by Commonwealth policy analysts.<ref>Wells, J. (1996). Composite Vulnerability Index: A Preliminary Report. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.</ref> In 1997, official background papers of the SIDS unit reflected the term “vulnerability"vulnerability index”index" at least internally.<ref>United Nations – DPCSD (1997). Vulnerability Index (Revised Background Paper). SD-SIDS Unit.</ref> It was also advanced in Commonwealth channels.<ref>Wells, J. (1997). Composite Vulnerability Index: A Revised Report. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.</ref> By 1997, the term was approved for publication by the staff of the [[UN Secretary General]] in the SG’sSG's Report on Development of a Vulnerability Index for SIDS.<ref>United Nations (1997). Report of the Secretary-General on the Development of a Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States (Advance Unedited Version to be submitted to the Commission for Sustainable Development, Sixth Session, 20 April-1 May 1998, and to the Committee for Development Planning, 32nd session, 4–8 May 1998).</ref> This concept was subsequently adopted by other experts in that field.<ref>Easter, C. (1998). ‘Small'Small States and Development: A Composite Index of Vulnerability’Vulnerability' in Small States: Economic Review and Basic Statistics, Commonwealth Secretariat, December 1998</ref> and explicitly named as such.<ref>Crowards, T. (1999). An Economic Vulnerability Index for Developing Countries, with Special Reference to the Caribbean: Alternative Methodologies and Provisional Results. Caribbean Development Bank, March 1999.</ref>

In a 1999 Technical Report for SOPAC, Kaly ''et al.'' discussed more focused vulnerability indexes. A subsection of that report was entitled “Vulnerability"Vulnerability index – environment”environment" and the report also discussed the concept of “"[[Environmental vulnerability index]]”".{{citation needed|date=January 2012}}

==Extension of the general concept ==

The [[IPCC]] embraced vulnerability as a key category in 2001.<ref>IMPACTS, ADAPTATION, AND VULNERABILITY/Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability is the most comprehensive and up-to-date scientific assessment of the consequences of, and adaptation responses to, climate change.</ref> A 2002 paper then applied a vulnerability indexing model to analysis of vulnerability to [[sea level rise]] for a US coastal community.<ref>[http://www.int-res.com/articles/cr2002/22/c022p255.pdf Vulnerability of coastal communities to sea-level rise: a case study of Cape May County, New Jersey, USA]</ref> At a 2008 [[Capacity Building]] Seminar at Oxford, the “Climate"Climate Vulnerability Index”Index"<ref <ref name=app6/> was presented with an application to the protection of tourist economies, which may be important to small island states and others. By the time of this seminar, vulnerability indexes were established as governance tools. However, despite existing vulnerability assessment methodologies, vulnerability assessments are heavily influenced by data availability, data reliability, extent, scale, rating methods of vulnerability indicators, and interpretation of the 'vulnerability' and related concepts. As as result, there are many frameworks and indices available which are attuned to specific systems, areas, or circumstances, rather than a comprehensive definition or framework.<ref>[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11852-015-0396-6] Wolters, M., Kuenzer, C., 2015: Vulnerability Assessments of Coastal River Deltas –

Categorization and Review. Journal of Coastal Conservation, Planning and Management- DOI

10.1007/s11852-015-0396-6</ref>

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===In medicine ===

In 2005 a “Histopathological"Histopathological Plaque Vulnerability Index“Index" was proposed.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Local Maximal Stress Hypothesis and Computational Plaque Vulnerability Index for Atherosclerotic Plaque Assessment |pmc=1474005 | pmid=16389527 |doi=10.1007/s10439-005-8267-1 |volume=33 |issue=12 |date=December 2005 |last1=Tang |first1=Dalin |last2=Yang |first2=Chun |last3=Zheng |first3=Jie|first4=Pamela|last4=Woodard|first5=Jeffrey|last5=Saffitz|first6=Joseph|last6=Petruccelli

|first7=Gregorio|last7=Sicard|first8=Chun|last8=Yuan|display-authors=1|journal=Ann Biomed Eng |pages=1789–801}}</ref> Thereafter, the term was adopted by Dr Jim O’ConnellO'Connell, at Boston’sBoston's Healthcare for the Homeless. The model was also adopted by Common Ground, an advocacy organization in New York City which promulgated the vulnerability index to Santa Monica, New Orleans, Washington, DC, and what their literature referred to as “Los"Los Angeles County’sCounty's infamous Skid Row”Row". It utilizes eight key health indicators that measure a chronically homeless person's vulnerability to early death. The model is now being adopted and registry week drives in the “ "inner city areas”areas" of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.<ref>[http://www.commongroundaustralia.org.au/index.php/other-initiatives.html Other Common Ground Initiatives ]</ref>

==See also==

{{Portal|Sustainable development}}

*[[Host factor]]

*[[Epidemiology]]

*[[Emergency medicine]]

*[[Triage]]

*[[Disaster planning]]

*[[Emergency medicine]]

*[[Epidemiology]]

*[[Host factor]]

*[[Immunology]]

*[[Infectious disease]]

*[[Mortality rate]]

*[[Standardized mortality ratio]]

*[[Infectious diseaseTriage]]

*[[Immunology]]

==References==