Increase Community Resilience Research Articles

What matters most to the perception of community resilience in Romania?

We aim to measure and explain the perception of community resilience in Romania. We use survey data from a country-representative sample of 1500 respondents. We rely on factor-based partial least squares path modeling to measure five reflective latent constructs from a CCRAM-type questionnaire. We use these constructs to extract a second-order formative latent construct representing an overall measure of community resilience. Next, we use three sub-dimensions of family resilience, along with individual resilience and several control variables to explain community resilience. Among the five sub-dimensions of the overall measure of community resilience, social trust exerts the highest contribution, followed by place attachment. The predictors of community resilience with the largest effect sizes are the three sub-dimensions of family resilience. The policies geared towards increasing community resilience might not be able to address the most important factors, at least in the case of Romania, because they pertain to informal group interaction, and lie outside the reach of formal administrative authority.

Building community resilience to extreme heat: Lessons learned from Spokane, WA community conversations

Abstract Heat is the primary cause of weather-related mortality in the United States. The 2021 Northwest heat dome highlighted this susceptibility. In Washington State, 159 excess deaths were attributed to the 7-day period of unprecedented extreme heat between June 26th and July 2nd. This impact was felt even in some of the more acclimatized parts of the state, like Spokane County, where 19 heat-related deaths were reported. As climate change increases the frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme heat events, creating and sustaining heat-resilient communities has become an urgent public health priority. On 6 June 2023, Gonzaga University, in partnership with the University of Washington, hosted the Spokane Extreme Heat Risk Intervention Stakeholder Synthesis Symposium. The goals of the symposium were to debrief from recent heat events, identify extreme heat risk reduction interventions used in the region, and characterize remaining practice-relevant research priorities. The symposium convened 45 stakeholders including representatives from local and state agencies, academia, and community-based and Tribal organizations. Symposium participants engaged in small group discussions using the World Café MethodTM. Notes from each discussion were coded using a content analysis approach. Symposium participants identified strengths, barriers to heat resilience, and solutions to reduce risk throughout the Spokane community. We present these findings by practice topic, including risk communication, intervention, collaboration, policy, and research. Additionally, we utilize the socio-ecological model as a conceptual framework to illustrate the complex interplay of factors that govern an individual’s experience of, and ability to respond to, extreme heat events. Given extreme heat’s impact on global public health, the methods used to increase community resilience in Spokane, WA, USA could be used by other communities worldwide to increase their own heat-resilience.

Enhancing Urban Sustainability and Resilience: Employing Digital Twin Technologies for Integrated WEFE Nexus Management to Achieve SDGs

This research explores the application of digital twin technologies to progress the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the water-energy-food-environment (WEFE) nexus management in urban refugee areas. The study in Irbid Camp utilizes a detailed 3D Revit model combined with real-time data and community insights processed through advanced machine learning algorithms. An examination of 450 qualitative interviews indicates an 80% knowledge level of water conservation practices among the community but only 35% satisfaction with the current management of resources. Predictive analytics forecast a 25% increase in water scarcity and an 18% surge in energy demand within the next ten years, prompting the deployment of sustainable solutions such as solar energy installations and enhanced rainwater collection systems. By simulating resource allocation and environmental impacts, the digital twin framework helps in planning urban development in line with SDGs 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). This investigation highlights the capacity of digital twin technology to improve resource management, increase community resilience, and support sustainable urban growth, suggesting its wider implementation in comparable environments.

Engaging Community Health Workers in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 Public Health Response to Address Health Disparities and Build Community Resilience.

In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) funded community health workers (CHWs) for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR). CCR is a 3-year, $350 million initiative to implement CHW strategies aimed at reducing COVID-19 impacts, building resilience, and improving health equity by addressing health-related social needs. This paper describes the CCR initiative and experiences to date, underscoring CHWs' critical role in CDC's pandemic response. CCR funds 67 recipients to reach communities who are disproportionately affected by long-standing health disparities (hereafter, priority populations). CCR aims to decrease the impact of COVID-19 and increase community resilience to respond to COVID-19 and future public health emergencies. Recipients implement three strategies: train CHWs to support the COVID-19 response, increase the workforce of CHWs to manage the spread of the disease, and improve utilization of community and clinical resources to engage CHWs to help strengthen communities' resilience to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. We funded three additional organizations to provide technical assistance to CCR recipients and collaborate with us on a national evaluation of the program. CCR recipients hired about 950 CHWs and integrated these CHWs into over 1,000 organizations and care teams. At the end of the second program year, CHWs made over 250,000 referrals to social services and over 150,000 referrals to address specific health conditions. CCR demonstrates that CHWs can be quickly mobilized to participate in a public health emergency and reach those most affected by COVID-19.

Changes in Human Vulnerability to Flood and Landslide: Evidences from Historical Data

Human impact by floods and landslides (FLs) is a significant concern, necessitating a deeper understanding to implement effective reduction measures, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction’s goal to reduce disaster mortality between 2020 and 2030. This study examines the evolution of human interaction with FLs over the past 70 years in Calabria, Italy. By systematically analyzing regional newspapers and historical archives from 1951–1960 and 2011–2020, a database was created documenting fatalities, injuries, and the involvement of people in FL incidents. For each victim, the database includes demographic details, accident time and place, circumstances of death or injury, and whether the victim’s behavior was hazardous or protective. Results indicate a drastic reduction in both the total number of fatalities (196 versus 20) and high mortality events from 1951–1960 to 2011–2020 (6 versus 1). However, the number of people involved in incidents has increased (202 versus 1102), although this may be partly due to improved dissemination of information. Changes in population habits and the construction of more robust houses have significantly reduced high-fatality events, enhancing security. The study highlights the importance of data collection for developing locally tailored risk reduction strategies, increasing community resilience by addressing specific vulnerabilities and strengths.

Statement of the Risk Level for Gliding in the Cooperative San Marcos del Cantón el Empalme, Provincia del Guayas, Equador

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk of slipping of the San Marcos cooperative in the canton of El Empalme, with the aim of making the correct assessment of the existing level of risk. Theoretical Framework: It is important to take into account that, from the year 2014 every construction process must compulsorily comply with the Ecuadorian construction standards that the governing body in the area of habitat and human settlements will issue for the purpose (Ecuador, 2014). And in the canton of El Empalme has a completely irregular topography, increasing the level of risk of sliding in several sectors, Taking into account the conditioning factors, and adding to this the triggering factors that might occur, such as heavy rainfall or seismic events, would increase the likelihood of the risk materializing and collapse occurring. (Empalme, 2020). Method: For the realization of this research project field visits will be made to the cooperative San Marcos to be able to take samples of slopes in various sectors, where the method of direct observation of the study area will be used and the topography of the terrain will be visible. Therefore, the calculation of the slope will be carried out with the help of the Apparatus “A”, which is a fundamental tool that allows us to know the level of a terrain with respect to a horizontal plane, (“Apparatus A” distance to 2 meters), and thus to be able to determine the distance between lines depending on the slopes inclination; therefore, once having the relief and slope later will include some additional factors such as lithology, humidity, vegetation cover, rain intensity, type of relief. To subsequently carry out the slide risk assessment. Results and Discussion: The results obtained determined that the presence of several conditioning factors in the study area has contributed to the increased risk of sliding in several sectors, having already classified by polygons a zoning of areas of greater susceptibility and represented with maps the existing risk levels. In this process, it can be said that there are areas that are less vulnerable, due to proper territorial planning and the provision of public and mitigation works. Implications of the research: This research has important social, economic and environmental implications. Early risk assessment and mitigation can prevent major impacts on the population. In addition, results can influence public policy formulation and implementation and thus increase community resilience. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the originality of the research, having more detailed information about the risk of sliding that exists in the San Marcos cooperative of the canton El Empalme. The relevance and value of this research is demonstrated by explaining in a more detailed way the level of risk existing in the study area.

Meso-scale environmental heterogeneity drives plant trait distributions in fragmented dry grasslands

Environmental heterogeneity shapes the patterns of resources and limiting factors and therefore can be an important driver of plant community composition through the selection of the most adaptive functional traits. In this study, we explored plant trait–environment relationships in environmentally heterogeneous microsite complexes at the meso-scale (few meters), and used ancient Bulgarian and Hungarian burial mounds covered by dry grasslands as a model habitat. We assessed within-site trait variability typical of certain microsites with different combinations of environmental parameters (mound slopes with different aspects, mound tops, and surrounding plain grasslands) using a dataset of 480 vegetation plots. For this we calculated community-weighted means (CWMs) and abundance models. We found that despite their small size, the vegetation on mounds was characterized by different sets of functional traits (higher canopy, higher level of clonality, and heavier seeds) compared to the plain grasslands. North-facing slopes with mild environmental conditions were characterized by perennial species with light seeds, short flowering period, and a high proportion of dwarf shrubs sharply contrasted from the plain grasslands and from the south-facing slopes and mound tops with harsh environmental conditions. Patterns predicted by CWMs and abundance models differed in the case of certain traits (perenniality, canopy height, and leaf dry matter content), suggesting that environmental factors do not necessarily affect trait optima directly, but influence them indirectly through correlating traits. Due to the large relative differences in environmental parameters, contrasts in trait composition among microsites were mostly consistent and independent from the macroclimate. Mounds with high environmental heterogeneity can considerably increase variability in plant functional traits and ecological strategies at the site and landscape levels. The large trait variation on topographically heterogeneous landscape features can increase community resilience against climate change or stochastic disturbances, which underlines their conservation importance.

Strategi Komunikasi Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana dalam Program Desa Tangguh Bencana

This research aims to determine the communication strategy of the national disaster management agency in the Bengkulu City disaster resilient village village program. The method used in this research is a qualitative method with data collection techniques, namely observation, interviews and documentation. The research results show an increase in public awareness and knowledge, becoming more aware of the various types of disaster risks that may occur. Knowledge about disasters: The community gets more in-depth information about the causes, impacts and types of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Community emergency response skills are trained on safe and effective evacuation methods when a disaster occurs. First aid, training on how to provide first aid to disaster victims. Development of emergency response plans, with family plans and community plans. The use of technological equipment is trained by using fire extinguishers, flashlights, radio communications. Formation and strengthening of disaster volunteers. Increasing community resilience and preparedness, training is accompanied by simulations and disaster response exercises that help the community practice what they have learned. In conclusion, one of the efforts made by BNPB is to implement the IDRIP-DESTANA project, Diffusion (diffusio) Project by increasing community preparedness by providing education and training to the community regarding disasters, meeting 29 times. Keywords: Communication Strategy, Diffusion of Innovation, BNPB, DESTANA

Jayapura Regency Government's Strategy in Flood Disaster Management in Sentani District

Sentani District in Jayapura Regency often faces floods that have a significant impact on people's lives, infrastructure, and the environment. High rainfall intensity, geographical conditions, and suboptimal spatial management are the main factors causing flooding in this region. The floods that occurred not only damaged people's homes, but also disrupted economic and social activities, and caused huge losses to the community and local government. The aim of this research is to analyze and formulate appropriate strategies to be used by the Jayapura Regency Government in managing flood disasters, especially in the Sentani District, in order to find out appropriate steps that can be implemented in resolving the problems of flood disasters that frequently occur. The research method used is descriptive qualitative through an inductive approach. Apart from that, the author's data sources are people, places, and documents, with data collection techniques using interviews, observation, and documentation. The theory used by researchers is strategic theory using SOAR analysis. This research produced 5 (five) strategies for flood management. By implementing the right strategy and good collaboration between stakeholders, it is hoped that it can reduce the risk and impact of flood disasters and increase community resilience in facing these disasters.

Learning from COVID equity measures to increase community resilience: Case study of a rural local public health unit

Learning from COVID equity measures to increase community resilience: Case study of a rural local public health unit

Assessment and Comparison of Community Resilience to Floods and Tsunamis in Padang, Indonesia

Community disaster resilience is very important for the City of Padang, where floods occur almost every year. The city is also now at the peak of the Sunda Megathrust cycle, which could cause a tsunami in the near future. This study aims to assess and compare community resilience to different types of natural disasters that cause either shocks or stresses. Data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires to 150 respondents and field observations. The analysis employed a quantitative approach to assess community disaster resilience based on indices of social, community capacity, economic, and infrastructure dimensions. The highest values for the social dimension were found in both floods and tsunamis, scoring equally at 0.73, indicating high resilience. In contrast, the lowest values for the economic dimension were observed in floods (0.35) and tsunamis (0.32), indicating low resilience. A significant difference was noted in the community capacity dimension, with a resilience value of 0.50 for floods and 0.34 for tsunamis, indicating moderate and low resilience, respectively. The results of this analysis suggest that the community is more prepared to face floods, as evidenced by higher values in the community capacity and economic dimensions compared to tsunamis. Therefore, interventions to increase community resilience are needed. This study recommends the need for an integrative and comprehensive approach, beyond existing efforts, in increasing community resilience related to floods and tsunamis.

Navigating The Escalating Climate Crisis: Comprehensive Policy Responses And Collaborative Global Action For A Sustainable Future

The escalating climate crisis has become one of the greatest challenges of this century, having far-reaching negative impacts on the environment, human health, food security, and the global economy. The response to this crisis requires a deep understanding of the dynamics of climate change, as well as comprehensive and collaborative policies and actions at the global level. Therefore, it is important to evaluate and identify effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change and move towards a sustainable future. This research aims to explore comprehensive policy responses and collaborative global action to navigate the climate crisis toward a sustainable future. The research method used is qualitative, by collecting and analyzing data from relevant research results and previous studies. The results of this research found that efforts to overcome the climate crisis require a comprehensive approach, involving strong international cooperation and synergy between development policies. Transitioning to clean energy, sustainable management of natural resources, and increasing community resilience to the impacts of climate change were identified as key strategies. Education and increasing public awareness are also important elements in supporting behavior change and community participation. Technology and innovation play a vital role in creating efficient and sustainable solutions. Finally, adequate funding and innovative funding mechanisms are needed to support the effective implementation of climate policies and initiatives.

The Community Resilience Measurement of Tourism Village in The Special Region of Yogyakarta against The COVID-19 Pandemic

This article or articles aims to measure the resilience index of tourist village communities in DIY, especially in independent and developed tourist villages, and find the factors that influence it. The problem is focused on the biggest impact of the COVID-19 pandemic faced by local communities that have a large dependence on tourism activities. This research is quantitative. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey conducted with the community of tourism village entrepreneurs in DIY. This research focuses the sample on independent and developed tourist villages that are more prepared to face the pandemic. A total of 130 samples were taken with a confidence level of 92% based on the Slovin formula. The first research objective was analyzed by adopting the HCRI (Household Climate Resilience Index) calculation and the second objective was analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. HCRI calculations are analyzed with the help of tables, percentages, and HCRI models which are used to assess community resilience based on respondents' responses to 31 resilience indicators. Resilience weights of 1-5 are given to indicators classified on a Likert scale, namely very high (5), high (4), medium (3), low (2), and very low (1), which means household resilience increases as the calculated value increases. The final results of this calculation are classified into five categories starting from very low resilience to very high resilience. The results of the analysis show that communities in developed and independent tourist villages in DIY have relatively high resilience in facing the COVID-19 pandemic. This resilience is influenced by economic, institutional, and social capital factors. However, tourist villages in DIY still need to be aware of the threat of vulnerability that may still occur during the COVID-19 pandemic in 12 indicators related to the economic condition of the community. These results have implications for the need to increase community resilience in developed/independent tourist villages by considering vulnerability factors in this research. In this case, both the government and tourist village managers are advised to focus more on programs to improve the quality of tourism business actors' resources and also the ability to mitigate economic losses after the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain the stability and sustainability of the economy of tourist village communities.

Positive Coping and Community Resilience in Disaster Management for Flooding in Malaysia

Background: Flood disasters increase the risk of both direct health impacts like trauma, injuries, and infectious diseases, as well as indirect impacts such as displacement-related and mental health problems. Disasters, though devastating, can have their adverse effects mitigated. A pivotal aspect in disaster management is community resilience, which is instrumental for sustainable recovery and growth. Individuals' readiness to take preparedness measures that increase community resilience might be influenced by their coping mechanisms. This study assessed the association between positive coping and community resilience among affected communities in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study and recruited participants by using purposive sampling. The participants were required to self-report their sociodemographic profile, coping, and community resilience. Coping was assessed using the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced scale, and community resilience was assessed using the Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit survey. Multivariable logistic regression was performed. Results: The findings demonstrated that problem-focused coping was the strongest predictor for community resilience in all domains. Participants with low problem- and emotion-focused coping were associated with low community resilience. Conclusion: A strong sense of social responsibility fosters more resilient communities. It is imperative to craft holistic community health programs, embedding both social responsibility and resilience, to proactively mitigate and manage disaster risks. As such, the adoption of comprehensive community resilience frameworks should be prioritized within health and disaster management blueprints.

Pendekatan Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) Melalui Kampung Siaga Bencana (KSB) di Kelurahan Jatibening

This research discusses community-based disaster management efforts in Indonesia, especially through the Disaster Alert Village program in Jatibening Baru Village, Bekasi City. Aims to analyze the implementation of Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) in the Disaster Preparedness Village program with a focus on disaster mitigation, priority handling, evaluation of disaster management performance, and resource mobilization. The research method used is a descriptive qualitative method and refers to the theory of Community-Based Disaster Management. The research results found that the research results show that disaster management involves three important stages, namely before, during and after a disaster occurs. The aim of this series of activities is to reduce disaster risks and increase community resilience in facing them. The active role of government and community participation is very important in efforts to better manage disaster risks. There are several supporting factors for Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) in Disaster Preparedness Villages (KSB), namely: (1) Availability of an adequate budget is very important in implementing the KSB program (2) Citizen participation (3) Establishment of good communication between all stakeholders. Meanwhile, the inhibiting factors for Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) in Disaster Preparedness Villages (KSB) are: (1) Socialization and training that are not yet optimal; (2) Lack of logistics storage warehouses (3) Lack of enforcement of DAS (River Watershed) regulations

An integrated risk-based early warning system to increase community resilience against disaster

The need to integrate Early Warning System (EWS) with Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has long been recognized in several global forums. In the year 2006, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) proposed an Integrated Risk-based EWS (IR-EWS) by integrating four elements: (1) Monitoring and warning service; (2) Risk knowledge; (3) Dissemination and communication; and (4) Response capability. Nearly after two decades of the UNISDR proposal, our study finds that there are still gaps in making IR-EWS operational. Our study also finds that works on conceptualizing integration of resilience against disaster with EWS as part of DRR (in line with SDG-13) has not yet been started. Against this backdrop, in this study we developed an IR-EWS for flood termed as Dynamic Flood Risk Model (DFRM) which contains: (1) simple risk-based warning numbers which are easily understandable and communicable to the community, with risk considered as a proxy for resilience; and (2) capital-based action plans in relation to community capital to reduce disaster risk and increase community resilience against disaster. The DFRM is applied in two flood-prone districts in Bangladesh and found to be acceptable to the community with reasonable accuracy. The model is the customized version of flood for generic IR-EWS. This study can be considered as the first attempt of the next generation IR-EWS where risk is represented by simple warning numbers and where EWS (as part of DRR) can be applied to increase the resilience.

Investigating Local Community Perception About Climate Change in Gatsibo and Nyagatare Districts, in Rwanda

The main objective of this paper was to investigate the perception of local community about climate change in drought prone areas of Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts in Rwanda. This paper perceived changes of climate and their effects, causes of climate change and perception of adaptation measures. Understanding community perception on climate change issues is critical in designing community-based adaptation actions and programs. Data were collected using questionnaire administered to 480 households selected in six sectors. Data were analysed using SPSS Statistics 28.0.1. to generate descriptive results. 89% of responds perceived a decrease in amount of rainfall while 70% perceive changes in reduction of length of rain season. Reported causes of climate change are dominated by environmental degradation (85.6%), deforestation (57.2%). Perceived effects of climate change on community livelihoods include decline of annual households’ income (88.3%), increased incidences of pests and diseases in crops (90.1%). The research results indicate that ongoing adaptation initiatives have failed to meet expected results. This is partly because local perception and knowledge are not considered. It is therefore, recommended to change the approach and adopt more community-based approach and considers local characteristics and local knowledge in designing adaptation actions. This will increase community resilience, ownership and address real community needs.

Micro and Macro Scale Policy Framework to Decrease Risk of Flood Disasters in Central Java Province

Flood disasters dominate disaster events in Central Java Province, as many as twenty-three out of thirty-five regencies/cities in Central Java Province fall into the category of high-level flood disaster areas. The potential population exposed to floods is 25,463,472 people. Physical loss and the economy due to the flood 79,846.4 million rupiah so there are in the high class while environmental damage is 1,080 hectares which is also in the high class. The purpose of this study is to examine macro and micro scale policies to increase flood resilience in Central Java Province. The research approach was conducted using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. A quantitative approach is used to evaluate the determinants of flood disaster resilience on a micro scale; while the qualitative approach is used to find patterns relationship of flood disaster resilience that is interactive on a macro scale. The results of the research show that the macro aspects of policy are related to technology, infrastructure, ecology, and socio-political aspects related to flood disaster management. While the micro aspect is related to community livelihood assets in the form of human resource assets. Implementation of macro & micro scale policies in Central Java (in this case Semarang City) is closely related to increasing community resilience to reduce the risk of flooding in the region.

Assessing community flood adaptation capacity to reduce flood losses

Flooding constitutes the largest proportion of economic losses from disasters in the US and is poised to become the main driver of disaster-driven economic loss worldwide. Community level flood planning has the potential to alleviate part of the problem. The US Community Rating System incentivizes community floodplain management practices in exchange for flood insurance premium rate discounts. The main goal of the program is to reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property. Using multi-period matching and difference in differences this paper explores whether and to what extent this goal is achieved. Contrary to past evidence, this assessment finds mixed evidence on the potential that participating in the CRS decreases flood losses for communities that join the CRS. Further research is required to explore whether the program contributes to increasing community resilience aspects beyond decreasing damage to insurable property, and to determine who benefits from flood loss reduction.

Understanding memory transmission in disaster risk reduction practices: A case study from Japan

“Disasters strike when they have faded from memory”, is a powerful quote from the Japanese geophysicist Terada Torahiko (1878–1935). This sentence, often used when addressing the need to improve disaster resilience, is a powerful reminder of the role that local memories of past disasters play in ensuring the safety of communities exposed to hazards. Twelve years from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJET) that hit Japan Tohoku's East Coast, this article aims at understanding how the transmission of local knowledge and experiences of past disasters contributes to increasing community resilience to tsunami risks. Based on field research along the coast of the Japanese prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, this study analyses 11 semi-structured in-depth interviews, to investigate the role of memory transmission in preparing for tsunami risks such as the GEJET. The data was analysed following a narrative approach and through thematic coding with the use of NVivo. Coding structures led to the identification of disaster memory transmission practices in the case study areas and allowed the testing of the relevance of the theoretical framework to community disaster resilience studies. Results are aligned with the theoretical framework and show that disaster memorials are more likely to influence community resilience if passed down using a combination of oral transmission and interpretation together with the use of backup memory archives and physical objects. Such practices are recommended as they allow both the communicability and durability of lessons-learned. Transmitting and maintaining a constant interaction between these two forms of memory is the responsibility of those institutions that oversee the keeping alive of memories, by continuously repurposing and renewing them while engaging with exposed communities.