Evaluation of urban quality of life indicators in Kermanshah (case study of Region 2 of Kermanshah Municipality)

Dissertation for Master Degree in Geography and Urban Planning (M.A)

Abstract

Quality of life as a concept to show the level of satisfaction of a person with life and in other words a measure to determine the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of individuals and groups, from different aspects of life. The quality of urban life is one of the most important areas of urban studies in different countries. This is important because of the increasing importance of quality of life studies in monitoring urban planning policies and its role as an efficient tool in urban management and planning. Therefore, the city, as the living environment of urban dwellers, needs to provide standards that can be called quality of life standards at a glance. The term quality of life is more related to the natural environment and external conditions of people's lives, such as pollution, quality of housing, aesthetic aspects, density, prevalence of crime, and the like. The purpose of this research is to investigate and evaluate the quality of urban life in Region 2 of Kermanshah Municipality. The analysis method is descriptive-analytical. To collect information, library and survey methods using questionnaires were used to measure the quality of life in the region. In order to analyze data and test hypotheses, statistical methods of single-sample T-test, factor analysis and SPSS software were used. The quality of urban life is usually measured through subjective indicators obtained from the survey and evaluation of citizens' perceptions and satisfaction with urban life or by using objective indicators. The results of this research show that the level of citizens' satisfaction with the quality of their living environment in physical dimensions is not optimal. At the end, some suggestions have been presented to improve the situation of this area.

Key words: quality of life, urban environment, T-test, factor analysis, region 2 of Kermanshah

Chapter 1

Research overview

Introduction

Today, the importance of urban residential environments as the main residences of people is increasing day by day. So that these environments are primarily an important tool for the development of various life indicators such as health, family, work or leisure. provide Second, a large population lives in heavily urbanized areas or will live in the near future, so special attention should be paid to the quality of their living environment (Rafiian, 1391:10). The quality of the environment is not only concerned with the fulfillment of human material needs, but it also considers the provision and promotion of social and developmental capacities of communities based on social behavior patterns. Therefore, improving and improving the quality of the residential environment has become one of the main goals of policy makers and urban planners in monitoring public policies (Khadem al-Hosseini and others, 1389: 1) The quality of the urban residential environment is usually through subjective indicators resulting from the survey and evaluation of citizens' perceptions and satisfaction with urban life and their residential environment; or measured using objective indicators obtained from secondary data; In order to achieve a systematic assessment of the level of satisfaction and benefit of the citizens from the environmental, social, cultural, economic and physical features of the residential environment. Based on this, in this research, we aim to connect urban planning with an interdisciplinary concept and through increasing communication with citizens, we will inquire about their mental image regarding the quality of their living environment. Therefore, first of all, the criteria and components of the quality of the urban living environment have been recognized with an emphasis on the mental image of the citizens of Region 2 of Kermanshah Municipality. 1- 1- Statement of the problem The quality of the urban environment is a measure to evaluate the conditions of the residential environment that bring the least benefit for urban life, and the effective factors can be the amount and manner of social services, the type of hierarchy in major and service uses. He mentioned the city, social security in urban spaces, how to access urban spaces, the location of the main uses and spaces of the city in the context of the city, the urban environment, the performance of different departments in the city, the ongoing activities in the urban environment, attention to the identity and native culture of the residents, etc. The important reason for such attention to (the concept of) quality with regard to urban planning and design simultaneously and interactively is one of the solutions that can improve the functional quality in urban spaces.. The quality parameters of the urban environment to examine the expected results of the planning process, after comparing different theories and analyzing them and taking into account the commonalities and differences between the elements that make up the quality of the urban environment such as the theories of Jane Jacobs, Lynch, Bentley, DETR, Cremona and John Panter, finally six indicators were considered. These indicators include permeability [1], diversity [2], safety and security [3], flexibility [4], inclusiveness [5] and vitality [6]. According to Kanter's model, the qualities of the urban environment consist of the qualities related to the body, activity and imagination. Functional quality emerges from the combination of physical and activity qualities (Golkar, 2010: 56).  However, there is little agreement among urban planners and policymakers about the definition of the quality of life, the individual components that comprise the quality of life (the quality of life is obtained from their sum and interaction) and the way through which special programs improve the quality of life. At the same time, many urban planning reports and projects refer to the concept of quality of urban life, either as a result of the project or as a review of the existing situation (Latfi, 1388: 68).

The urban strategy of the World Bank (1999) for third world cities is focused on the four basic characteristics of livability, competitiveness, good governance and bankruptcies; He considers these four factors to be involved in increasing the welfare of the residents of these cities (Baskha et al., 1389:98).  In the latest ranking according to the quality of life index among the countries of the world in 2014, unfortunately, Iran was ranked 51st in the world, which is also in a very unfavorable position in the Asian continent. (Refer to the ranking table of the countries of the world in terms of quality of life indicators in 2014 on the website www.economic.com) and Kermanshah province among the provinces of Iran in 1991, with a quality of life rating of -1.48, was placed in the low quality of life rank and ranked 22nd among the 25 provinces under investigation (Mozen 1391: 1391). In general, according to the field research and information obtained from the municipality and related authorities and comparing it with the standards introduced by reliable sources, the quality of life in the neighborhoods of Kermanshah Municipality Region 2 is at a low level due to various reasons, and it is necessary to carry out comprehensive research in all specialties in order to serve urban development planning.

1-2- The importance and necessity of conducting research

It can help to identify problematic areas, people's dissatisfaction, citizens' priorities in life, the impact of social factors - population on the quality of life and monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of policies and strategies in the field of quality of life (Sadeeqah Lotfi, 1388: 66). It has been noted that the quality of life is used to determine the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of individuals and groups from different aspects of life. Nowadays, the quality of life is the main goal of all the plans prepared by thinkers and planners (Qalibaf et al., 2013: 31).

The quality of life of city residents is closely related to the sustainable development of cities. Sustainable development emphasizes all aspects of development (environment, economy and society) in human society. Considering the inherent complexity of cities and their various dimensions of influence, it seems essential to know the main and key factors in order to achieve urban sustainability. In this regard, the satisfaction of city dwellers with the current state of cities, paying attention to their demands and needs can help city managers in achieving greater sustainability of cities, especially social sustainability (Hosseinzadeh Delir et al. 2018: 2). A healthy city means healthy people and both will lead to a healthy and dynamic society. Urbanization is considered as one of the important factors affecting the personal and social health of citizens, in such a way that the health of people is largely influenced by their socio-economic and environmental status and depends on the plans and goals that the city has planned for them, and the improvement of the quality of urban life is also dependent on health. Improving the level of health is accepted as the axis of development of societies and according to the goals of the Ottawa Charter, it is the ultimate goal of all governments. Quality of life findings can be used to re-identify previous political strategies and design future planning policies. Improving the quality of life in any society is one of the most important goals of the public policies of that society (Ghadami and Motamed 2013:50-33).