Conceptualizing Vulnerability for Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Associated Measures in Utrecht and Zeist: A Concept Map

Lilian G. L. van der Ven, Elisa L. Duinhof, Michel L. A. Dückers, Marielle Jambroes and Marja J. H. van Bon-Martens
Additional contact information
Lilian G. L. van der Ven: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
Elisa L. Duinhof: Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Department Mental Health and Prevention, 3521 VS Utrecht, The Netherlands
Michel L. A. Dückers: Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research (NIVEL), 3513 CR Utrecht, The Netherlands
Marielle Jambroes: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
Marja J. H. van Bon-Martens: Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Department Mental Health and Prevention, 3521 VS Utrecht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-12

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated measures have impacted the health of many. Not all population groups are equally vulnerable to such health effects, possibly increasing health inequalities. We performed a group concept mapping procedure to define a common, context-specific understanding of what makes people vulnerable to health effects of the pandemic and the measures. We organized a two-step, blended brainstorming session with locally involved community members, using the brainstorm focus prompt ‘What I think makes people vulnerable for the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures is…’. We asked participants to generate as many statements as possible. Participants then individually structured (sorted and ranked) these statements. The structuring data was analysed using the groupwisdom TM software and then interpreted by the researchers to generate the concept map. Ninety-eight statements were generated by 19 participants. Sixteen participants completed both structuring tasks. The final concept map consisted of 12 clusters of vulnerability factors, indicating a broad conceptualization of vulnerability during the pandemic. It is being used as a basis for future research and local supportive interventions. Concept mapping is an effective method to arrive at a vulnerability assessment in a community in a short time and, moreover, a method that promotes community engagement.

Keywords: COVID-19; vulnerability; concept mapping; community engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/12163/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/12163/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12163-:d:683164

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().