Evaluation of the effect of environmental quality indicators on social health (Case study: citizens of Mashhad)

In recent decades, rapidly growing cities and the resulting urban expansion developments have caused numerous problems in urban environments, including residential units and neighborhoods. The increasing expansion of the urban population and, consequently, the Unstable and rapid development of cities has threatened human communication, solidarity and collective cohesion, and has reduced environmental responsiveness, disrupted the peace and health of individuals. On the other hand, there is a hidden but effective relationship between the quality of the living environment and the social health of residents. This study aims to evaluate and understand the indicators and components of residential quality affecting the social health of Mashhad residents through using a quantitative Approach. Using Cochran's formula and random cluster sampling method, 400 residents of neighborhoods in Mashhad who lived in an apartment complex were surveyed. Based on the research findings, the most important predictors of residential quality were the physical-spatial quality of the neighborhood, security, appearance, building facilities, building safety, location in the building and facilities of the residential unit. The variables of residential quality at the level of 99% confidence had a significant relationship with social health. All variables of the structure of urban quality of life and social health have a significance above 0.01. Living environmental quality indicators were more effective on social participation, social cohesion and social acceptance than social health variables. Gender, education level and level of enjoyment were the most important individual and personality predictors of respondents’ quality of life related to social health and changed the level of residents' perception of the quality of their living environment. Finally, the research showed that 38% of the variance changes in the social health variable were explained by the variables of residential quality and individual variables.