Document Type
Thesis - University Access Only
Award Date
2009
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Geography
Abstract
Social vulnerability to environmental hazards is an essential component of the overall vulnerability of a place. Because it is difficult to quantify, much of the literature has ignored social aspects of vulnerability to environmental hazards, in favor of biophysical vulnerability. Social vulnerability indices are created and mapped using U.S. Census data for 1990 and 2000 at the census tract level for the State of South Dakota. Tracts with the greatest changes in social vulnerability between years are identified. Resultant trends in changing social vulnerability are reported based on the variables that most greatly impact the social vulnerability index scores. Findings pinpointed areas of high social vulnerability in rural and tribal areas and at a finer spatial scale statewide than was done previously, allowing disaster managers to allocate funds and direct other mitigation efforts toward those locations that are in greatest need of assistance. Including the reduction of vulnerability in plans for mitigation will reduce the ever-increasing number of disasters that our world is currently facing.
Keywords: social vulnerability, social vulnerability index, environmental hazards, mitigation.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Disasters -- Risk assessment -- South Dakota
Environmental disasters -- Social aspects -- South Dakota
Hazard mitigation -- South Dakota
South Dakota -- Census
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
95
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Bloomberg, Hana J., "Changing Social Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards of South Dakota Census Tracts in 1990 and 2000" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1559.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/1559
