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Social vulnerability indicators in pandemics focusing on COVID‐19: A systematic literature review
Author(s) -
FallahAliabadi Saeed,
Fatemi Farin,
Heydari Ahad,
Khajehaminian Mohammad Reza,
Lotfi Mohammad Hasan,
Mirzaei Masoud,
Sarsangi Alireza
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/phn.13075
Subject(s) - pandemic , covid-19 , vulnerability (computing) , public health , social vulnerability , geography , medicine , virology , psychology , social psychology , computer science , nursing , outbreak , computer security , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , psychological resilience
Social factors can affect the vulnerability of disaster‐prone communities. This review aimed to identify and categorize social vulnerability indicators in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods This systematic review was conducted in February 2021. Bibliographies, citation databases, and other available records were investigated based on the aim of the study. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools were applied for assessing the included articles retrieved through the comprehensive and systematic literature search. Descriptive and thematic analyses were done to extract the indicators affecting social vulnerability in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results Thirty‐one eligible articles were included and 85 indicators of social vulnerability were extracted. The indicators were categorized in seven main categories, including; Household, community composition; Race, minority status and language; Socioeconomic status; Community health status; Public health infra‐structures; Education; Information, technology and communication. Conclusion Regions with higher social vulnerability experienced greater mortality rates during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Additional research is needed to measure the social vulnerability index in pandemics to prioritize distribution of scarce resources and ensure effectiveness and equity for all regions of countries.