Mapping intersectional aging vulnerabilities in Aragón: A new GIS methodology from a gender perspective.

A novel feminist GIS methodology was developed using 17 intersectional indicators across six dimensions to quantify and map aging vulnerability in Aragón, Spain.

• The six dimensions are: demographic aging, dependency, gender, aged care, healthcare, and territorial structure.
• Indicators were based on open-source municipal data.
• Indicators were classified according to risk levels to visualize areas with higher aging vulnerability.
• The integration of feminist epistemology and situated knowledge theories to quantify and map aging vulnerability had not been previously explored in regional planning and aging studies.

The study found territorial disparities in demographic aging across Aragón's municipalities.

• GIS mapping revealed regional variations in demographic aging distribution across the territory.
• The findings highlight uneven spatial distribution of aging-related challenges within the region.
• Data-driven decision-making methods were used to classify and visualize these disparities.

Gender gaps among older adults were identified as a significant dimension of aging vulnerability in Aragón.

• Women's predominant roles in care practices were highlighted as a gender-specific challenge.
• A dedicated gender dimension was included among the six indicator categories.
• The study is motivated in part by Spain's care crisis disproportionately affecting women as caregivers.

Regional variations in aged care and healthcare access were documented across Aragón's municipalities.

• Aged care and healthcare each constituted separate dimensions among the 17 intersectional indicators.
• The findings revealed unequal spatial distribution of care and healthcare resources across the region.
• These variations were mapped using GIS tools to enable visual identification of underserved areas.

Spain's demographic context of increased aging population, rising life expectancy, and higher prevalence of age-related illnesses motivated the development of this methodology.

• Spain is experiencing a demographic aging and care crisis.
• Increased aging population and life expectancy are identified as contributing factors.
• Higher prevalence of age-related illnesses further compounds the care crisis.
• The study is positioned as applicable beyond Aragón to other regions facing similar demographic challenges.