Understanding urban heat vulnerability assessment methods: a PRISMA review

This study is a systematic review aimed at understanding methods used to assess urban heat vulnerability in the context of climate change. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework, it evaluates 76 peer-reviewed journal articles published before 2022. The review categorizes the literature based on indicators and data, modelling approaches, and validation methods. It investigates how vulnerability is assessed using demographic, socioeconomic, health, and environmental data, often through vulnerability indices or spatial models. The goal is to identify how current models operate, their strengths, limitations, and their relevance for urban policy and climate adaptation.

The study finds that there is no standardized approach to assessing urban heat vulnerability. Most models rely heavily on demographic and socioeconomic data due to easy availability, with limited integration of personal health conditions and public health infrastructure. Indicators like age, economic status, and land surface temperature are most common. Validation of models is often weak or absent. The review underscores the need for more comprehensive, context-sensitive frameworks that integrate both quantitative and qualitative data, and for better validation using real-world health outcomes.