Assessing the health of urban settlements with emphasis on healthy city theory the Case study of Noorabad City

A healthy city is a city that continuously improves its physical, social, and cultural environments, develops its resources, and ensures public health. In recent years, the increasing trends of environmental pollution, unemployment, poverty, poor housing, and social and psychological harms as well as industrialization and the spread of epidemic diseases have decreased the quality of the urban living environment. Noorabad City, like many other cities, is facing many problems such as worn-out structures, inadequate housing, lack of social and health services, and noise pollution. These problems will cause serious damage to the health of the environment and citizens. The present study employs a descriptive-analytical method for final evaluation and data analysis. This study uses t-test and structural equation modeling to explain and model the effects. The results of the t-test of the sample showed that the status of healthy city indicators in the study area with an average of 2.51 is not in an acceptable situation and is estimated to be poor. Analysis of the findings of structural equation modeling indicates that the amount of factor load of the root mean square error (RMSE) is equal to 0.079, which indicates the desirability of the research model. Also, the analysis of the second-order factor model showed that the health dimension has the highest factor load with a weight of 0.94 and the lowest factor load belongs to the physical dimension with a factor weight of 0.64. In order to promote the indicators of a healthy city and balanced distribution of services and facilities, spatial policies and planning should be based on creating a platform for attracting more private sector investment and directing them to disadvantaged areas where the role of urban management and related organizations is very important.