Development of the Thailand district-level Socioeconomic Deprivation Index: a census-based methodological study

Abstract

Background: Area-level socioeconomic deprivation is a key determinant of health disparities and quality of life. This study aimed to develop and validate the Thailand district-level Socioeconomic Deprivation Index (TSDI)—a nationwide, district-level index to identify deprived areas and their specific deprivation dimensions using national census data. Methods: In this methodological cross-sectional study, we constructed the TSDI from a 20% stratified random sample of the 2010 Thai national census (63 478 990 individuals across 928 districts). Domains and indicators were selected on the basis of a scoping review and theoretical frameworks of relative deprivation. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to create a composite index, which was visualized through choropleth mapping. Results: The TSDI comprises six principal components encompassing 29 indicators, explaining 73.82% of the total variance. The components represent: (1) overall socioeconomic deprivation, (2) housing and assets, (3) demography and family composition, (4) foreign and elementary workers, (5) household crowding and (6) access to tap water. Spatial analysis revealed severe deprivation clusters in the northern, lower northeastern and southern regions, while central (including Bangkok) and eastern coastal areas were less deprived. Conclusions: The TSDI is a novel, validated tool that provides a comprehensive and spatially explicit measure of socioeconomic deprivation in Thailand. It offers critical data for targeting public health interventions, informing resource allocation and investigating the pathways linking social inequality to health and development outcomes.