Exploring Determinants of Community Flood Resilience in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review

Flooding is the most devastating natural disaster in Southeast Asia, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and posing substantial public health challenges. This PRISMA 2020 systematic review, registered with PROSPERO, aimed to synthesize the determinants influencing community flood resilience among flood-affected communities in Southeast Asia. Five electronic databases and Google Scholar were searched for empirical peer-reviewed studies published between January 2015 and January 2026. Methodological quality was independently assessed using the Kmet standard quality assessment tool, and a convergent integrated synthesis design was applied for the synthesis. Eighteen studies (nine quantitative, six qualitative, and three mixed methods) from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam met acceptable quality thresholds. Seven determinant domains were identified: (1) sociodemographic, (2) flood exposure, (3) socioeconomic, (4) socio-cultural, (5) environmental, (6) physical, and (7) psychological factors. Synthesized evidence revealed that community flood resilience is shaped by dynamic interactions among structural, social, environmental, and psychological determinants that collectively influence resilience capacities. Psychological factors, particularly risk perception and anxiety, served as cross-cutting influences on adaptive behavior, while vulnerability remained concentrated among older adults, women, low-income households, informal settlements, and rural agricultural communities. These findings highlight the importance of integrated and equity-oriented resilience strategies that strengthen community adaptation and improve public health outcomes in the region.