Evaluation of the quality of urban environment and its effect on mental well-being in border cities (case study: Piranshahr)

Sanar Malahamd ¹ ( Phd. Student, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran. )
Ali Panahi ² ( )
Hasan Ahmadzadeh ³ ( Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran )

Submited date : 2024-10-01 Accepted date : 2025-01-17

Keywords: Urban environment, Natural environment, Man-made environment, Mental wellbeing, Piranshahr.,

Abstract :

Nowadays, the quality of the urban environment is one of the factors influencing the improvement of livability in cities and the formation of mental well-being. Paying attention to this issue is an inevitable necessity, especially in the border areas, which, in addition to being far from the center, face numerous challenges in different social, economic and physical dimensions. In this regard, the aim of the current research is to evaluate the quality of urban environment and its effect on mental well-being in Piranshahr city. The research method in the present study is mixed (quantitative-qualitative), with an applied purpose and an analytical-exploratory nature, in order to analyze the information, structural equation modeling in Amos software and logarithmic regression coefficient and Pearson test in SPSS software were used. The statistical population of the research also includes the citizens of Piranshahr, and the sample size of 384 people was determined using Cochran's method. The findings of the research show that the critical value of the quality of the natural environment of the city is calculated above 1.96 and is favorable at the 95% confidence level, while the quality of the man-made environment is unfavorable with a critical value of 1.17. Also, in the partial indicators of the natural environment, environmental sustainability, vegetation and green space, and in the partial indicators of the man-made environment, only infrastructure facilities and services have a favorable status. On the other hand, in the mental well-being index, the three components of participation and social cohesion, feeling of security and emotional belonging are in a favorable state, and the components of happiness, hope, and feeling of mental and psychological comfort are in an unfavorable state. Also, the results show that at the 95% confidence level, there is a significant relationship between the quality of the urban environment and the formation of citizens' mental well-being.

 

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