Disparities in access and association between access to critical facilities during day-to-day and disrupted access as a result of storm extreme weather events

Flavia Ioana Patrascu; Ali Mostafavi; Arnold Vedlitz

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18841

Disparities in access and association between access to critical facilities during day-to-day and disrupted access as a result of storm extreme weather events

Heliyon. 2023 Aug 1;9(8):e18841. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18841. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Authors

Flavia Ioana Patrascu¹, Ali Mostafavi¹, Arnold Vedlitz²

Affiliations

¹ Urban Resilience.AI Lab, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
² Public Policy, Bush School of Government and Public Service, A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between households' access to critical facilities day-to-day and during weather-related extreme events. Despite a robust understanding of both day-to-day access and access during disasters, the interplay between the two remains unclear. To bridge this knowledge gap, we propose a novel empirical approach, using a Texas statewide household survey (N = 810). The survey evaluates day-to-day and past events access, exploring the experiences of respondents during multiple recent disasters, rather than focusing on a specific hazard. Using correlation analysis, we examined various access-related factors such as day-to-day trip duration, alternative trip duration, and loss of access during past events. Additionally, we evaluated the association between access-related factors and sociodemographic characteristics such as income, ethnicity, and urban status. The results indicate: (1) daily trip duration to critical facilities is associated with disrupted access during storm events, and (2) disparities persist during both day-to-day times and during extreme events. These results bring new insights to the existing body of knowledge on day-to-day access and access during disasters. The findings provide scientifically grounded evidence to city managers and planners, emphasizing the need for equitable distribution of facilities to enhance access to essential facilities both in daily life and during extreme weather-related events.

Keywords: Critical facilities; Disasters; Equitable access; Resilience.