Vulnerability Assessment in Population Health - Conceptual Foundations, Measurement Approaches, and Regional Perspectives

Abstract

Sandhya Ahuja

Vulnerability assessment in population health refers to a systematic approach for identifying individuals, households, or population groups that are at increased risk of adverse health outcomes due to a combination of social, economic, demographic, environmental, and health system related factors. Unlike conventional health indicators that focus primarily on disease prevalence or mortality rates, vulnerability assessment seeks to explain why certain populations are more likely to experience ill health and why they are less able to prevent, cope with, or recover from health shocks. In public health, vulnerability is increasingly understood as a multidimensional and dynamic condition.

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