Development of a Contextualized Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) for Age-friendly Cities: Evidence from Hong Kong

Abstract

Deprivation indices illuminate people living in a specific locality who have unmet basic needs defined by societal standards. Among existing literature, material insufficiency is a crucial deprivation factor that leads to injustice and health inequity. However, essential human needs extend beyond material sufficiency, including but not limited to, say, a quality living environment, natural exposure, safety, and access to healthcare services. This study applied the concept of multiple deprivation to Hong Kong, an ultra-dense metropolis with rapid demographic aging. We constructed a conceptualized Index of Multiple Deprivation (HKIMD) with seven domains. The results show that highly deprived neighborhoods are likely to appear in areas with ultra-high residential density where living conditions are below the standards (e.g., subdivided units). Urban areas that used to have a large proportion of resettlement and industrial lands are also likely to become deprived due to uneven distributions of urban amenities and fragmentation of residential areas. By deprivation domains, large spatial disparities are found in income, crime, and living domains. Finally, three deprivation clusters are identified in Hong Kong, highlighting the possible compounding effects between crime and living and between living and income.