Urban Epidemiological Resilience Modeling Based on PLS Structural Equations, Tabriz, Iran

Throughout the preceding century, the proliferation of pandemics, including Sars, Ebola, and notably Corona, has precipitated numerous crises within the global context. In addressing such urban challenges, the exploration of urban resilience and the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions against epidemics may present a viable pathway. Accordingly, this study was undertaken to examine the influence of urban physical structure indicators on urban epidemiological resilience.

The current study was of a practical nature and was carried out in Tabriz from early April to late June 2019, utilizing data pertinent to the Corona virus. Relevant indicators were derived from an exhaustive systematic literature review. Subsequently, the identified indicators were assessed using available statistics from 41 urban districts of Tabriz, and the resultant data were analyzed through the structural equation modeling approach to ascertain the interrelationships among the variables.

The determinants pertaining to food accessibility and the inadequacies in quarantine protocols, in conjunction with access to healthcare services, demographic and residential density, as well as social and environmental pollution, exhibited coefficients of 0.537, 0.488, 0.273, 0.232, and 0.146 respectively, thereby demonstrating a substantial influence on urban epidemiological resilience.

A considerable proportion of the variations observed in the epidemic is elucidated through the analysis of the parameters related to demographic and residential density, food accessibility and quarantine inadequacies, healthcare service availability, and both environmental and social pollution.