Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

5-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Disaster Studies

First Advisor

Dr. Dean Kyne

Second Advisor

Dr. William Donner

Third Advisor

Dr. Salvatore Restifo

Abstract

United States coastal counties are geographically exposed to coastal hazards and their associated risks which are amplified by social vulnerability. This study examined associations between social vulnerability factors and impacts of disasters decorated with the presidential disaster declaration. Study area includes 306 US coastal shoreline counties. Data were obtained from the 2017 American Community Survey and Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database. Multi-regression method was implemented. Disaster impact was measured by property damages, crop damages and number of disasters declared during 2008–2017. Findings indicated that females, civilians with a disability, mobile homes, and single parent households show statistically significant positive associations with disaster impacts whereas minorities, aged 19 or younger, and aged 65 or older demonstrated negative associations. The Gulf of Mexico coastline region was positively associated with disaster impacts while the Pacific was negatively associated. However, urban and rural variation do not show any statistically significant association.

Comments

Copyright 2020 Magaly Ramirez. All Rights Reserved.

https://go.openathens.net/redirector/utrgv.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/understanding-associations-between-social/docview/2567990505/se-2?accountid=7119

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