Evaluation of environmental criteria affecting citizens' health using geographic information system (case example: Agheh Zaman neighborhood of Sanandaj city)

The problems in urban life, such as the diminution of the role of the environment as a place for the presence of citizens and their physical activity, the increase in vehicles and as a result inactivity and the increase in non-communicable diseases, have caused the concern of the world community about public health. The aim of the research is to evaluate subjectively and objectively the environmental criteria affecting the general health of the residents in three physical, psychological and social dimensions in Agha Zaman neighborhood of Sanandaj city. The collection of subjective and objective research data was done sequentially in terms of time, in this regard, four phases of the research were defined. The first phase is the subjective qualitative assessment of the residents regarding their mental and social health, the second phase is the collection of quantitative subjective data of the residents regarding their physical health, the third phase is the quantitative objective assessment of the environment, and the fourth phase is the examination of the correlation between the research variables. Subjective data was obtained using a questionnaire and objective data was obtained using a geographic information system. To analyze the relationship between neighborhood environmental criteria and physical activities and to determine the relationship between variables, regression analysis was used in SPSS software. Objective data such as the type of block arrangement and the example of the spatial pattern of the neighborhood, the land use layer and the road network, etc., were calculated by the geographic information system and entered into the index of space syntax to determine the pedestrianization of the neighborhood. Finally, the relationships and effects of environmental criteria on public health have been identified using regression analysis in Lisrel software. The results showed that the two measures of comfort and tranquility of the environment with a score of 23 and social interactions and neighborhood culture with a score of 21 respectively have the greatest impact on mental and social health. Also, environmental criteria such as mix of uses with a score of 5.671, visual and aesthetic qualities with a score of 7.961, and special infrastructure for pedestrians and bicycles with a score of 8.475 have the greatest impact on physical work, leisure and sports activities, respectively. As a result, they have physical health. According to the obtained data, Namaki Street with a score of 21 has the highest level of connection and interconnection, depth and control with the whole neighborhood and has the highest level of pedestrian circulation in the neighborhood. The general results show that due to the direct impact and relationship of environmental criteria of urban design on physical activities and on the other hand, the existence of a positive and meaningful relationship between physical activities and general health, it was found that the general health of residents is related to the environmental criteria of urban design. Yes, but this relationship does not happen directly but with the intervention of physical activities.