Health-Related Quality of Life and Perception of Neighborhood Physical and Social Environment in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In light of rapid urban developments, urban planners have become more concerned with enhancing the quality of life in cities. However, the connection between the built environment and perceived well-being is not adequately explored. This study investigates the relationship between the physical and social features of the neighborhood environment and the health-related quality of life for 393 adult residents in Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire was developed to examine participants' perceptions of neighborhood social and physical factors, along with the World Health Organization's Quality of Life–Brief Form (WHOQOL–BREF) to measure their health-related quality of life. Using factor analysis, correlations, and multiple linear regressions, the findings suggest that all subcomponents of the physical environment (accessibility, amenity, and legibility) and social environment (participation, sense of community, and satisfaction) impact psychological, social relationships, and environmental health, but that amenities were most powerfully predictive of all three types of socio-environmental health.