Developing a Vulnerability Mapping Methodology: Applying the Water-Associated Disease Index to Dengue in Malaysia

Dickin, Sarah, Schuster-Wallace, Corinne J. and Elliott, Susan J., (2013). Developing a Vulnerability Mapping Methodology: Applying the Water-Associated Disease Index to Dengue in Malaysia. PLOS One, 8(5), 1-11

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    Author Dickin, Sarah
    Schuster-Wallace, Corinne J.
    Elliott, Susan J.
    Title Developing a Vulnerability Mapping Methodology: Applying the Water-Associated Disease Index to Dengue in Malaysia
    Appearing in PLOS One
    Volume 8
    Issue No. 5
    Publication Date 2013-05-08
    Place of Publication USA
    Publisher PLOS One
    Start page 1
    End page 11
    Language eng
    Abstract The Water-associated Disease Index (WADI) was developed to identify and visualize vulnerability to different water-associated diseases by integrating a range of social and biophysical determinants in map format. In this study vulnerability is used to encompass conditions of exposure, susceptibility, and differential coping capacity to a water-associated health hazard. By assessing these conditions, the tool is designed to provide stakeholders with an integrated and long-term understanding of subnational vulnerabilities to water-associated disease and contribute to intervention strategies to reduce the burden of illness. The objective of this paper is to describe and validate the WADI tool by applying it to dengue. A systemic eco-health framework that considers links between people, the environment and health was applied to identify secondary datasets, populating the index with components including climate conditions, land cover, education status and water use practices. Data were aggregated to create composite indicators of exposure and of susceptibility in a Geographic Information System (GIS). These indicators were weighted by their contribution to dengue vulnerability, and the output consisted of an overall index visualized in map format. The WADI was validated in this Malaysia case study, demonstrating a significant association with dengue rates at a sub-national level, and illustrating a range of factors that drive vulnerability to the disease within the country. The index output indicated high vulnerability to dengue in urban areas, especially in the capital Kuala Lumpur and surrounding region. However, in other regions, vulnerability to dengue varied throughout the year due to the influence of seasonal climate conditions, such as monsoon patterns. The WADI tool complements early warning models for water-associated disease by providing upstream information for planning prevention and control approaches, which increasingly require a comprehensive and geographically broad understanding of vulnerability for implementation.
    UNBIS Thesaurus DISEASES
    STATISTICAL DATA
    MALAYSIA
    Risk and Vulnerabilities
    WATER POLLUTANTS
    WATER QUALITY
    WATER RESOURCES
    WATER STATISTICS
    WATER-RELATED DISEASES
    WATER
    Copyright Holder The Authors
    Copyright Year 2013
    Copyright type Creative commons
    DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0063584
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    Created: Thu, 11 Dec 2014, 17:45:24 JST