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Code linking the American Community Survey (ACS) microdata with the Spatial Hazards  Events and Losses Database for the United States (SHELDUS).

Authors: Deborah Balk, Kytt MacManus, Hieu Tran, Camilla Greene, Shemontee Chowdhury

Specific purpose of code: This  code links the American Community Survey (ACS) microdata with the Spatial Hazards  Events and Losses Database for the United States (SHELDUS).] 

Integration of Python programming with ArcGIS API, IPUMS API to pull Decennial Census data, create interactive maps, find insights about the changes in population and how badly the disabilities seniors’ indicators in Community Resilience Estimates (CRE) layer exposed to the Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) in Puerto Rico.

Link to code:  https://github.com/hieutrn1205/CACHED_estimate_social_vulnerability/blob/master/estimate_social_vulnerability.ipynb

General Application:

This is a lesson on linking Census data with LECZ Merit-DEM dataset on housing vacancies and population changes. In the lesson, we disseminate the regional and local data (county-level and tract level) on overlaying with the CRE layer to show how vulnerability of seniors who are currently living in the LECZ’s zones. The code will give the audience ability to estimate of many percentages’ social vulnerabilities people in the exposed zone also. The margin of error and statistical tests are 90 percent in CRE which gives us a solid statistically belief to the social vulnerabilities’ population.

How does or could this code allow researchers to assess research questions related  to aging or life course?:  This code could be used with the Decennial data to asses any 5 year age groups from under 5 to 85+ years of age, I had gathered the visualization on the 5 year-age groups in the pyramid chart for 2010 and 2020 to assess the mean of each Age/Sex group at admin level 0 (national).

Data sets used:

  • Population, socioeconomic, or health data: Decennial Census Data on Age/Sex, Occupancy Status (Vacancy), Social Vulnerabilities in Community Resilience Estimates (CRE).
  • Climate, weather, disaster or environment data: Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ)

• Are all the data publicly available or are some restricted-access [choose one]:

• Which are restricted access? : Community Resilience Estimates (CRE). I have talked with the personnels at U.S Census regarding the restrictions. Please refer the users to the first question Community Resilience Estimates Frequently Asked Questions and “if the person is a potential researcher, they are able to access the data with an approved project through the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers. If they would like to go that route, please share my email address (sehsd.cre@census.gov). I’d be happy to get them started, or they can go here: Federal Statistical Research Data Centers.”

Coding Language:  Python

Tools and Packages used:  Pandas, Numpy, Matplotlib, ipumspy, arcgis

Output(s):  Maps, Graphs

Spatial extent: Puerto Rico

Temporal extent: 2010-2020