Modelo de análisis de la vulnerabilidad psicosocial en la gestión del riesgo de desastres

Abstract

In the context of disaster problems and vulnerability reduction there exists some knowledge gaps about psycho-social factors or variables that play an important role in the way that people identify, evaluate and interpret disaster risks. The goal of this article is to develop a vulnerability analysis model for disaster risk by natural or socio-natural phenomena from a psychosocial approach. For this, a definition of psychosocial vulnerability is proposed and the influence of psychosocial variables in a particular population vulnerability are analyzed. The model is composed of six variables: risk perception, social representations of risk, personal involvement, coping strategies, place attachment and spatial proximity. In this study, 257 participants were selected from sectors bordering the lower part of the "El Barro" stream, where a torrential flood occurred in 2005, and from the Niquía sector of the Bello, Colombia. A direct influence between the psycho-social variables (positive and significant correlations) was found; in particular, there was an important correlation between personal involvement and active coping. Mainly conclusions are, first, the proposed model is conceptual and methodologically relevant; Second, action perceived about risks significantly affected coping strategies directed at solving the problems; third; previous experience with disasters influenced positively on psychosocial variables.