The Effect of Community Resilience Measures on Morbi-Mortality Indicators Following Floods: An Empirical Assessment.

This study investigates the relationship between community resilience indicators and flood-related mortality and morbidity across 66 communities worldwide. Using the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC) framework, we examine how five distinct forms of capital - social, financial, physical, human, and natural - influence three specific outcomes: direct flood-related fatalities, deaths within three months post-flood, and flood-related injuries.

The research employs a quasi-experimental design with regression adjustments to analyze the relationship between resilience levels and these mortality and morbidity outcomes. Our methodology incorporates key demographic factors, including age distribution, gender composition, and urban-rural residence, while also accounting for flood exposure and hazard characteristics such as return periods and the percentage of the community affected.

The FRMC framework provides a comprehensive dataset compiled through multiple data collection methods, including household surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and secondary sources. The study specifically uses baseline data to assess pre-existing resilience levels and post-event data to measure mortality and injury impacts.

Our analytical approach begins with Principal Component Analysis to derive consolidated measures for each type of capital. The quantitative research design carefully controls for demographic vulnerabilities and flood exposure or hazard characteristics, recognizing that these factors may significantly influence the relationship between resilience and both mortality and morbidity outcomes.

The study makes several important contributions to the existing literature on flood resilience impacts. First, it provides a systematic analysis of how different forms of community capitals affect both mortality and injuries in flood-affected areas. Second, it considers both immediate and delayed mortality impacts, accounting for deaths occurring up to three months after flood events. Third, it examines these relationships while controlling for demographic factors and flood exposure or hazard levels, offering insights into how resilience effects may vary across different community contexts.

This research has significant implications for policy and practice in flood risk management and community resilience building. By understanding how different forms of capital influence mortality and injury patterns, policymakers and practitioners can better target interventions to reduce flood-related deaths and injuries. The findings may help inform more effective strategies for protecting vulnerable populations and strengthening community resilience to flood events.

Furthermore, by examining both immediate and delayed mortality effects alongside injury patterns, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of flood impacts on communities. This broader perspective is crucial for developing more effective long-term disaster response and recovery strategies.