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Exposure to Flood Hazards in Miami and Houston: Are Hispanic Immigrants at Greater Risk than Other Social Groups?

Author

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  • Alejandra Maldonado

    (Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Timothy W. Collins

    (Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Sara E. Grineski

    (Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Jayajit Chakraborty

    (Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

Abstract

Although numerous studies have been conducted on the vulnerability of marginalized groups in the environmental justice (EJ) and hazards fields, analysts have tended to lump people together in broad racial/ethnic categories without regard for substantial within-group heterogeneity. This paper addresses that limitation by examining whether Hispanic immigrants are disproportionately exposed to risks from flood hazards relative to other racial/ethnic groups (including US-born Hispanics), adjusting for relevant covariates. Survey data were collected for 1283 adult householders in the Houston and Miami Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and flood risk was estimated using their residential presence/absence within federally-designated 100-year flood zones. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) with binary logistic specifications that adjust for county-level clustering were used to analyze (separately) and compare the Houston ( N = 546) and Miami ( N = 560) MSAs in order to clarify determinants of household exposure to flood risk. GEE results in Houston indicate that Hispanic immigrants have the greatest likelihood, and non-Hispanic Whites the least likelihood, of residing in a 100-year flood zone. Miami GEE results contrastingly reveal that non-Hispanic Whites have a significantly greater likelihood of residing in a flood zone when compared to Hispanic immigrants. These divergent results suggest that human-flood hazard relationships have been structured differently between the two MSAs, possibly due to the contrasting role that water-based amenities have played in urbanization within the two study areas. Future EJ research and practice should differentiate between Hispanic subgroups based on nativity status and attend to contextual factors influencing environmental risk disparities.

Suggested Citation

  • Alejandra Maldonado & Timothy W. Collins & Sara E. Grineski & Jayajit Chakraborty, 2016. "Exposure to Flood Hazards in Miami and Houston: Are Hispanic Immigrants at Greater Risk than Other Social Groups?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:8:p:775-:d:75167
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Michel G. Loustaunau & Jayajit Chakraborty, 2019. "Vehicular Air Pollution in Houston, Texas: An Intra-Categorical Analysis of Environmental Injustice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-16, August.
    2. Cheol Hee Son & Yong Un Ban, 2022. "Flood vulnerability characteristics considering environmental justice and urban disaster prevention plan in Seoul, Korea," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 114(3), pages 3185-3204, December.
    3. Jayajit Chakraborty & Timothy W. Collins & Sara E. Grineski & Alejandra Maldonado, 2017. "Racial Differences in Perceptions of Air Pollution Health Risk: Does Environmental Exposure Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, January.
    4. Jayajit Chakraborty & Pratyusha Basu, 2018. "Linking Industrial Hazards and Social Inequalities: Environmental Injustice in Gujarat, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Jayajit Chakraborty & Timothy W. Collins & Sara E. Grineski, 2016. "Environmental Justice Research: Contemporary Issues and Emerging Topics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-5, November.
    6. Catherine E. Paquette & Tasia Danns & Margaret Bordeaux & Zaire Cullins & Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, 2024. "Experiences Accessing Health and Social Services during and after Natural Disasters among People Who Use Drugs in Houston, Texas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(9), pages 1-10, September.
    7. Liu, Xian & Noonan, Douglas, 2022. "Building underwater: Effects of community-scale flood management on housing development," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).

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