Evaluation of Physical-environmental Quality of Life in Iran's Mid-sized Cities Case Studies: Qazvin, Kashan and Gorgan

The quality of life as a concept influenced by growth of urbanization, has affected global and humanitarian issues. Moreover, urban development and its consequences led to urban quality of life which is a different phenomenon with initial social and psycho origins of quality of life. Urban quality of life is measurable in both subjective and objective aspects. The subjective aspect emphasizes on perception of people and satisfaction of citizens from urban environment and the objective aspect is achievable using existing secondary data. Literature review shows the importance of physical and environmental aspects of the quality of life in urban planning, so it is crucial to select appropriate indicators and variables. Regarding the importance of residential satisfaction in the framework of quality of life, this research aims to survey and measure subjective physical-environmental quality of life. The main goals of this research are as follows: (1) surveying physical and environmental quality of life; (2) developing factors and indicators of physical and environmental quality of life; and (3) measuring subjective physical and environmental quality of life in Iran’s mid-sized cities. The theoretical framework of this research is based on the combination of main criteria and indicators in literature review. Selection of indicators and variables depends on accessibility to data and characteristics of mid-sized cities in Iran. They are categorized into physical and environmental aspects. The physical aspect includes three groups: access, transportation and housing. According to spatial plan of Iran that is the grand document, middle-sized cities have 250-500 thousand population. Iran has 14 middle-sized cities that four of them are in Tehran province. Based on 2011 census data, three middle-sized city, Qazvin, Gorgan and Kashan, have been selected among these cities by simple sampling method. By introducing 30 indicators, the level of resident’s satisfaction has been inferred in three middle-sized cities in Iran. The questionnaires completed by interviews and the whole number of questionnaires in cities were 1078 ones. First, 30 questionnaires were tested to resolve ambiguities and faults. It has been considered that interviews to be performed with various range of gender and age groups in different times of a day. Answers were in Likert scale ranging 1-5. For measuring questionnaire results, data entered into Access software and changed into quantitative data by Excel. Using SPSS software and Factor Analysis method, main factors and acceptable indicators were identified as environmental, access to services, access to educational land uses, transportation and housing. Results show that physical and environmental quality of life is affected by environmental factor more than any other one. The importance of housing is in the lowest rate comparing with other factors. Total quality of life score implies that satisfaction is higher in Kashan (0.6) than Qazvin (0.545) and Gorgan (0.540). Comparison between factor’s scores clarifies that although the level of satisfaction is different in cities, but they are all in medium range of satisfaction. Since the decisions and actions of urban planners have significant impact on citizen’s quality of life, so identification and analysis of such problems can provide useful information for planners to improve urban quality of life.