A Systematic Review of Empirical Research on Behavioral Drivers of Households' Flood Risk Adaptation Over Time and Across Regions

PurposeClimate change is predicted to increase the vulnerability of urban populations to flood hazards. Against this backdrop, flood risk adaptation has become pertinent. However, in Ghana, current flood risk management practice is fostered by a reactive culture. There is limited research on how communities and government agencies are engaging with flood risk adaptation in improving resilience. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse the culture of communities and agencies through the cultural theory of risk (CTR), towards understanding the flood risk adaptation in Accra, Ghana. Culture is deciphered using the beliefs held by residents and public agency officials.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative methodology, underpinned by the constructivist paradigm, was adopted to understand factors that influence flood risk adaptation in informal settlements. Data was gathered using household and institutional interviews in Glefe, Accra, Ghana.FindingsThe results show that both disaster risk management institutions and community members are deeply concerned about current and future flood risk. However, their cultural beliefs concerning flood risk and adaptation are contradictory, broadly framed by fatalist, individualist and hierarchist beliefs. The contradictory emergent beliefs contribute to a clash of expectations and create uncertainty about how to respond to flood risk, impacting the implementation of required adaptation measures. Developing a collaborative flood risk management framework and a shared understanding of adaptation approaches may be a better alternative.Originality/valueThis paper advances understanding of how culture influences flood risk adaptation in developing country context.

Flood hazard has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and large-scale damage to properties. This study has explored, analyzed, and categorized the flood hazard and risk levels of Arba Minch City in South Ethiopia by integrating geospatial and Analytical Hierarchy Process techniques. Data were acquired from DEM with 12.5 m resolution, Landsat 8 OLI, ortho-rectified, and surveyed data from the Municipality. Slope, Elevation, Rainfall, Aspect, Curvature, Topographic Wetness Index, Topographic Roughness Index, Drainage Density, Distance from River, Soil Types, Land Use Land Cover, and Population Density parameters were used. Standard classification criteria were set based on literature and experts’ judgment. Data were rasterized, resampled, and reclassified into five classes through the natural break method and readjustment. The flood hazard map was produced using the weighted overlay technique with hazard levels of low (7.39%), moderate (56.13%), and high (36.48%). Whereas, very low and very high remained nil. The flood risk levels were produced ascendingly as 2.4%, 17.3%, 17%, 44%, and 19.4%, respectively. The validity of the model was confirmed by the ROC-AUC Value of 0.923 being fitted with flood damage sites of Shara, Limat, Airport, Agriculture Research Center, Konso Sefer, Ashewamado, Gurba, and Arba Minch University campuses. Slope, elevation, rainfall, aspect and curvature were the top priority flood hazard parameters. The hazard map, population density, and land use land cover inputs have significant weights for flood risks. Thus, the study findings urge that the stakeholders should take integrated and consistent flood risk reduction and management measures.

Flood hazards are the most common and destructive of all natural disasters. For decades, experts have been examining how flood losses can be mitigated. Just as in other risk domains, the study of risk perception and risk communication has gained increasing interest in flood risk management. Because of this research growth, a review of the state of the art in this domain is believed necessary. The review comprises 57 empirically based peer-reviewed articles on flood risk perception and communication from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The characteristics of these articles are listed in a comprehensive table, presenting research design, research variables, and key findings. From this review, it follows that the majority of studies are of exploratory nature and have not applied any of the theoretical frameworks that are available in social science research. Consequently, a methodological standardization in measuring and analyzing people's flood risk perceptions and their adaptive behaviors is hardly present. This heterogeneity leads to difficulties in comparing results among studies. It is also shown that theoretical and empirical studies on flood risk communication are nearly nonexistent. The article concludes with a summary on methodological issues in the fields of flood-risk perception and flood-risk communication and proposes an agenda for future research.

Hydrometeorological events are highly costly and have strong impacts on the human‐environment system. Effective response requires effective risk management concepts and strategies at individual and watershed level to increase community resilience. Focusing on flood risk and the information associated with it, individual risk behavior in the shape of implementing property‐level flood risk adaptation (PLFRA) measures is often overlooked. For this research, a comprehensive overview of possible PLFRA measures for homeowners in flood risk areas was made, as well as the possible costs and technical feasibility for new and existing buildings. To complement this, insights into risk mitigation behavior are essential due to the ongoing shift to risk‐based and individualized flood risk management, which require a contribution from flood‐prone households to risk reduction. Results show that PLFRA measures differentiate in their effectiveness, cost‐efficiency and technical feasibility, and full protection can never be guaranteed. Considering risk mitigation behavior, literature generally distinguishes between situational factors (such as communication and economic subsidies) and personal factors (such as personal and psychological components influencing individual behavior).This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Planning Water Science of Water > Water Extremes

Residents should take adaptive action to reduce flood risk—this claim increasingly resonates in the academic debate on flood risk management (FRM). Hence, it must be assumed that a change in the division of responsibilities between actors involved is an imperative, that is, beyond the public authorities, residents should become more responsible for their own flood resilience. However, residents' perspectives on their own and other's responsibility for adaptive action has not yet been explored extensively. In this contribution, we distinguish between four notions of responsibility in analysing the perspectives of residents regarding flood risk adaptation measures undertaken by public authorities, insurance companies and residents themselves. A qualitative study in England shows how residents perceive responsibilities for flood risk adaptation across the various notions and actors, including themselves. We found that residents have clear expectations and perceptions on how they think responsibility is divided among stakeholders and how they would like it to be. Additionally, the discourse on responsibility division in FRM raises questions and causes mismatches between the formal legal parameters and residents' perceptions. With the insights into residents' perceptions, opportunities arise to better inform and encourage them to take flood risk adaptation measures and thereby improve flood resilience.

Work-related violence represents a serious form of victimization in the workplace, yet it remains insufficiently researched in the social protection system. The subject of this paper is a systematic review of empirical research on work-related violence, with a particular focus on the social protection system. The paper aims to analyse findings from international research on the prevalence, structure, characteristics of actors (perpetrators and victims), consequences, and coping strategies for work-related violence in the social protection system, compare them with findings from the general working population to understand the specificities of this system, and identify research gaps in the Serbian context. A systematic approach was employed to search the literature in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases, from May to August 2025, covering papers published between 2000 and 2024. Data were analysed using narrative synthesis, with a special focus on comparative analysis of findings from social protection and findings on work-related violence generally. Results show a high prevalence of work-related violence in social protection (data ranging from 32% to 94%), potentially higher than in other sectors (from 8% to 52%). Dominant forms include verbal aggression, humiliation, gossip, and systematic isolation. Perpetrators are most often direct supervisors (49%) and colleagues (30%), with authoritarian leadership and unsupportive organisational culture representing key risk factors. Victims of work-related violence experience serious consequences at the emotional (anxiety, depression), social (isolation, intention to leave the job), and psychosomatic level (post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue). In Serbia, there are virtually no empirical data on work-related violence in the social protection system. The paper points to the need for systematic research in Serbia as well, the development of prevention programs adapted to the specificities of this system, and the strengthening of institutional support for employees.

This study is concerned with flood risk that can be assessed by integrating GIS, hydraulic modelling and required field information. A critical point in flood risk assessment is that while flood hazard is the same for a given area in terms of intensity, the risk could be different depending on a set of conditions (flood vulnerability). Clearly, risk is a function of hazard and vulnerability. This study aims to introducing a new approach of assessing flood risk, which successfully addresses this above-mentioned critical issue. The flood risk was assessed from flood hazard and vulnerability indices. Two-dimensional flood flow simulation was performed with Delft3D model to compute floodplain inundation depths for hazard assessment. For the purpose of flood vulnerability assessment, elements at risk and flood damage functions were identified and assessed, respectively. Then, finally flood risk was assessed first by combining replacement values assessed for the elements and then using the depth–damage function. Applying this approach, the study finds that areas with different levels of flood risk do not always increase with the increase in return period of flood. However, inundated areas with different levels of flood depth always increase with the increase in return period of flood. The approach for flood risk assessment adopted in this study successfully addresses the critical point in flood risk study, where flood risk can be varied even after there is no change in flood hazard intensity.

Transracial adoption is a relatively new and controversial practice in South Africa. We undertook a systematic review of empirical research by adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guideline. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on research, both peer-reviewed and unpublished academic work, between January 1991 and April 2021. We report on the scientific nature, rigour, quality and scope of studies of the items found and outline the themes which emerge from the empirical research. These include attitudes towards transracial adoption, the experiences of adoptive parents and transracial adoptees as well as recommendations for practice. Different theoretical paradigms, variable methodology, small sample sizes of poorly defined target groups impact negatively on comparability and generalisability of results. This research fails to engage with the specificities that might impact on successful outcomes for transracially adopted families and guide professional practice including post-adoption support. Developing this research field will require large-scale studies on the outcomes for transracial adoptees and adoptive families, and research using the comparable methodology and theoretical frameworks. Such research can guide local policies and practices in South Africa and will enhance the international research into transracial adoption.

Climate change is causing a range of environmental impacts, including increased flood frequency and intensity, posing significant risks to human populations and transportation infrastructure. Assessing flood risk under climate change is critical, but it is challenging due to uncertainties associated with climate projections and the need to consider the interactions between different factors that influence flood risk. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) are powerful tools that can be used to assess flood risk under climate change by gathering and integrating a range of data types and sources to create detailed maps of flood-prone areas. The primary goal of this research is to create a comprehensive GIS-based flood risk map that includes various climate change scenarios derived from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. This goal will leverage the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology to better understand the impacts of these climate change scenarios on the transportation network. Furthermore, this study aims to evaluate the existing flood risk map and assess the potential impacts of prospective climate scenarios on the levels of flood risk. The results showed that the northern and coastal regions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are at higher risk of flooding, with the majority of the population living in these areas. The projections for future flood risk levels indicate that under the SSP245 scenario, flood risk levels will generally be low, but some areas in the northern and eastern regions of the UAE may still face high to very high flood risk levels due to extensive urbanization and low-lying coastal regions. Under the SSP585 scenario, flood risk levels are projected to be significantly higher, with a widespread distribution of very high and high flood risk levels across the study area, leading to severe damage to infrastructure, property, and human lives. The recent publication of the CMIP6 models marks a significant advancement, and according to the authors’ knowledge, there have been no studies that have yet explored the application of CMIP6 scenarios. Consequently, the insights provided by this study are poised to be exceptionally beneficial to researchers globally, underscoring the urgent necessity for holistic sustainable flood risk management approaches for geography, planning, and development areas. These approaches should integrate both sustainable transportation infrastructure development and risk mitigation strategies to effectively address the anticipated impacts of flooding events within the study region.

Background: Environmental contributors to sudden death are not well understood but should inform emergency preparedness and mitigation strategies. We examined flood and pollution risk and sudden death from 2018 to 2021 in Lenoir, a rural North Carolina County which suffered extensive damage from recent hurricanes, most notably Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Research Aim: Determine if census tracts with greater flood or pollution risk have higher sudden death rates. Methods: We identified sudden deaths among adults aged 18-64 from death certificates using a published algorithm (Figure 1). We geocoded decedents’ addresses and linked them to census tract-level data from the EPA Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and American Community Survey. Flood risk was defined as the percentage of census tract residents at high (>25%) flood risk over the next 30 years, and pollution risk as the percentage of residents ≤1 mile from a Toxic Release Inventory site. We compared census tract-level sudden death rates by flood and pollution risk levels using incidence rate ratios (IRRs) estimated with Poisson regression, adjusted for racial distribution, median household income, and prevalence of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Results: Among the 15 census tracts in the county, the median flood risk was 10% (range 4 to 16), and the median pollution risk was 8.4% (range 0 to 56.54). Of the 15 tracts, 2 were in the highest tertile for both flood and pollution risk. There were 242 sudden deaths in Lenoir County during the study period, a rate of 437 per 100,000. Tract-level sudden death rates ranged from 246 to 1,130 per 100,000 (Figure 2). Every increase of 10 percentage points in flood risk was associated with a 92% increase in sudden death rates (IRR 1.92, 95 % CI 1.40–2.64). Every 10-point increase in pollution risk was associated with a 14% increase in sudden death (IRR 1.14, 95 % CI 1.04–1.23) (Table 1). Being in the highest risk tertiles for both flood and pollution was associated with higher sudden death rates compared to being in the lowest tertiles for both (IRR 2.02, 95% CI 1.50-2.66). Conclusions: Flood and industrial pollution risk were associated with higher sudden death rates within a rural county, even after accounting for socioeconomic and cardiometabolic burden. Locally-targeted environmental hazard preparedness and mitigation should be evaluated to prevent sudden deaths in vulnerable communities.

International Market Selection (IMS) is a strategic and complex decision by which firms choose the markets in which to be present. Despite the undisputed academic and managerial relevance of IMS, extant reviews do not include the most recent empirical literature, do not consider different perspectives linked to alternative units of analysis and research domains, and ignore important changes in the international business environment. This research aims to carry out a holistic and systematic assessment of recent IMS empirical research, propose an IMS framework, and provide directions for future research. We contribute to the international business and management literature by updating and upgrading our understanding of IMS, by expanding the IMS conceptualization, proposing an integrative conceptual framework, and developing research propositions, and by suggesting a comprehensive, updated, and radically original research agenda.

Gajah Wong Sub Watershed often experiences a flood incidence that has potentials to destroy and cause material loss so that needed an examination on a flood risk. This study’s objective is to map the level of a flood disaster risk zone and its spread in Gajah Wong Sub Watershed, Province of Special Region of Yogyakarta. The study’s method used weighing and scoring method with overlay analysis technique of flood risk parameter attribute data consisting of flood hazard, vulnerability and capacity using Geographic Information System (GIS). It complies with Disaster Prevention-National Agency Head’s Decree No. 02/2012 with modification. Each parameter is modified, weighing and scoring are used to gain values of attribute data. The results of study indicate that flood risk in Sub Watershed Gajah Wong consisted of 3 levels, namely, low level of flood risk having 440.86 ha (89.22%), medium level of flood risk having 157.81 ha (3.20%) and high level of flood risk having 374.25 ha (7.59%). Low level of flood risk widely dominated distribution to upstream zone covering sub-district of Pakem, sub-district of Ngemplak and sub-district of Ngaglik. Medium level of flood risk was distributed to some middle areas and downstream zone covering some sub-districts, such as part of Umbulharjo, part of Kota Gede and part of Banguntapan. While, high level of flood risk was spread in south part of Depok sub-district and north part of Pleret sub-district.

This research is based on the weak role of government in reducing the risk of flood disaster in Sungai Penuh Town appropriately, thus efforts are needed to avoid and decrease this situation, in other word mitigation of flood disaster is needed. The purpose of this study are analyzed the characteristics of area based catastrophic flooding, flood hazard, and flood risk and formulate mitigation policy and direction of flood disaster. The type of research is combined or mixed method. This study using quantitative Method used in determining volcano hazard, the level of vulnerability of the community, volcano risk and the use of qualitative Method used in determining the direction and mitigation policies towards mitigation of flood disaster. Findings research shows two characteristics area are good area that didn’t hazard of flood covering 4872 ha and bad area that cause the flood covering 30403 ha, with three levels of flood hazard are high flood hazard covering 3145 ha, medium flood hazard covering 1726 ha, and low flood hazard covering 30403 ha and three levels of flood risk are flood risk high covering 4872 ha, flood risk medium covering 6395 ha, and flood risk low covering 24008 ha. The high flood harmful for environment and agriculture, due this situation, this research is needed mitigation policy of flood disaster which set up zoning on any flood hazard zone, normalization downstream/ estuaries of river, doing and improving the coordination of government in the cross-sectoral of town and regency, developing the early warning system, and socialitation and provide training/ non-agricultural skills to the society.

W pracy podjęto próbę określenia ryzyka powodziowego w oparciu o sposób zagospodarowania obszarów zalewowych w miastach nadodrzańskich w Polsce. Kryterium oceny ryzyka powodziowego jest powierzchnia zajmowana przez konkretne formy zagospodarowania w granicach terenu zalewowego. Oceny dokonano poprzez uporządkowanie liniowe wszystkich miast nadodrzańskich według poziomu ryzyka powodziowego (ranking miast), a następnie ich pogrupowanie. Otrzymane wyniki odzwierciedlają poziom ryzyka powodziowego miast względem siebie.

Assessing learning in technology-rich maker activities: A systematic review of empirical research