Quest Journals
Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science
Volume 3 ~ Issue 3 (2015) pp:39-46
ISSN(Online) : 2321-9467
www.questjournals.org
Research Paper
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban
Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
Mojtaba Shoeibi*1, Iman Amraii2, Amin Mafakheri3, Aram Karimi4,
Ayda AlahdiniVandi5
1
Master of Science, Geography and Urban Planning,
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
2
Master of Science, Geography and Tourism Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
3
Master of Science, Climatology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
4
MA Student of Spatial Planning, Geography Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
5
MA Student Geography and Rural Planning, University of Sistan & Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.
Received 28 February, 2015; Accepted 14 March, 2015 © The author(s) 2014. Published with open
access at www.questjournals.org
ABSTRACT: This descriptive-analytical study attempted to investigate the quality of life in urban areas of
Iran. Sonqor City of Kermanshah Province was selected as a case. Field and documentary data collection
methods were used. To collect the field data, researcher-designed questionnaires were used, of which the
validity was confirmed by expert judgment and the reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (0.893).
The population comprised all the residents of Sonqor City (n=46181). Using Cochran formula, 382 individuals
were selected as sample and questionnaires were randomly distributed among them. Results demonstrated that
among the 9 aspects of quality of life investigated in Sonqor City, satisfaction with the three aspects of housing,
transportation and education, which have coefficients of variation of 0.319, 0.331, and 0.412 respectively, are
the most important aspects. Moreover, general results of quality of life of Sonqor residents revealed that 75
percent of the respondents had very low and low, 22.5 percent have medium, and only 2.9 percent had high and
very high quality of life. The mean of general level of quality of life being 2.07 indicates the low general level of
quality of life in Sonqor City.
Keywords:- quality of life, urban areas, aspects of quality of life, Sonqor.
I.
INTRODUCTION
The starting point of the development of human communities is the formation of a correct
understanding of people’s needs and then the investigation of the achievements of development. Measurement
of quality of life offers an appropriate means for achieving such an understanding, for study of quality of life
establishes a link between local authorities and citizens for constructive interaction leading to interpretation of
and discussion on key issues affecting people’s lives. Results of studies on quality of life can be used to identify
again previous political strategies and to design future planning policies, and, as a result, to achieve the
objectives of development plans (Lee, 2008: 1207; Ahmadvand et al., 2012: 106). Thus, planning for
development of quality of life as a basic principle has always received attention from planer and managers of
development (Ghalibaf et al., 2011: 34). Moreover, to study of quality of life and to identify factors affecting it
can help to identify problematic areas, causes of people’s dissatisfaction, people’s priorities in their lives,
impacts of socio-demographic factors on quality of life; and to investigate and evaluate the efficiency of policies
and strategies with respect to quality of life. Researchers have pointed out that local social participation in
quality of life studies can be a crucial support for making policies and setting long-term goals (Schmitt, 2002: 4;
Santos and Martins, 2007: 413). Considering the issues discussed and knowledge of the importance of quality of
life in the development of societies, researchers have attempted to investigate the quality of life among the
residents of Sonqor city. Besides shedding light on the general condition of quality of life of the residents of this
City, this inquiry also identifies strong and weak points and paves the way for future planning by planers and
authorities so as to enhance quality of life and its indicators in the City.
*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
39 | Page
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
II.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The To organize the city environment and improve the quality of urban life in different aspects of city
environment, a number of studies have been conducted including the study of transportation and quality of life
by E.L. Spinney et al. (2009), land use and quality of life by Preuss and Vemuri (2004) and various other studies
conducted in the field of quality of life and urban environment organization.
Studies of quality of life encompass both objective and subjective aspects, although many studies have
been conducted along each of these objective and subjective aspects. For example, within the framework of
subjective aspects, there are studies by Foo (2000) who used 5-point Likert scale (from strongly disagree to
strongly agree) and the study by Breteron et al. (2008) who used the 7 point Likert scale. Furthermore, Lee
(2008) believes that to measure the quality of life, this method must be used directly so that people impart their
opinions regarding the quality of life. Ibrahin and Chung (2003) believe that subjective aspects are much more
appropriate than objective ones for planning and policy-making, because subjective aspects elicit acceptable
feedback.
Objective aspects of quality of life show the conditions of external life such as education, housing and
the like (Das, 2008). Research conducted in this connection includes studies by Li and Wang (2007) and
Apparicio et al. (2008). Other data obtained from other sources are related to the condition of housing, income,
education or household characteristics. It should be noted that the quality of life cannot be measured merely
with the use of objective aspects; rather, it should be measure by using a combination of objective and
subjective aspects. These is no consensus among researchers regarding to what degree these two variables are
related to each other. Turksever and Atalik (2001) point out that to measure quality of life using the two
objective and subjective aspects is necessary for understanding the quality of life. Such similar approaches can
be seen in the studies by Rogerson et al. (2009), Marans (2003), Kamp et al. (2003), and Li and Wang (2007).
However, some studies, such as Das (20080 and McCrea et al. (2006) point out that there is a tenuous
relationship between objective and subjective aspects and quality of life. AN example of this consistency can be
seen in the study by Brereton et al. (2008) which shows that there is a high correlation between physical-spatial
aspects as group of objective aspects in Ireland and subjective characteristics. In contrast, McCrea et al. (2006)
demonstrated that there was a tenuous relationship between the two aforementioned characteristics. Yet the
results of a number of studies which employed various indicators to measure quality of life in Iran are indicative
of low quality of life in urban areas. These studies include Jajromi and Kalteh (2006) which attempted to
evaluate the condition of indices of quality of life of Gonbad-e Qabus citizens using 25 indicators in the three
groups of urban facilities and services, urban problems and housing facilities. The demonstrated that the
accessibility to urban and housing facilities and services was in an appropriate condition, but there were
considerable urban problems in many urban areas. The results also indicated great inequality in enjoyment of
quality of life indicators in various areas of the city of Gondan-e Qabus. In a study aiming at investigating the
quality of life in Yaftabad neighborhood of the city of Tehran, Qalibaf et al. (2011) demonstrated that the
quality of life in the study area was not desirable in terms of environmental, economic and social factors, and
transportation and communications were in a mediocre condition. Results of the study by Salmani et al. (2012)
which attempted to measure the quality of life in Hashemi neighborhood of Region 10 of the city of Tehran
demonstrated that the quality of life in the study area was at a low level. Qorbani et al. (2013) analyzed the
spatial distribution of quality of life in the neighborhoods of the city of Chalus, demonstrating that citizens of
this city are partially satisfied with the indicators of quality of life, and quality of life is at medium and fairly
good levels. Their results also showed that in the majority of neighborhoods, the greatest dissatisfaction was
associated with the two indicators of transportation and service accessibility, and the greatest satisfaction of the
citizens was associated with social cohesion. In a study attempting to measure the quality of life in Darvazeh
Shemiran neighborhood of Region 12 of the city of Tehran, Soleimani et al. (2013) concluded that quality of life
in this neighborhood is at a low level. Their results also demonstrated that the greatest dissatisfaction of the
citizens is associated with the neighborhood’s environment and the lowest dissatisfaction was associated with
accessibility.
III.
METHODOLOGY
This study is a descriptive-analytical inquiry. Part of data was gathered through field studies and using
questionnaires and interviews and other required data such as the theoretical framework, documents and
censuses were obtained using library studies. The population comprised all the residents of Sonqor City
(n=46181). To determine the sample size, Cochran sampling with a significance level of 95 percent (p & q =
0.5) and error margin (d=0.05) was used, whereby 382 individuals were selected as sample. To determine the
reliability of the instruments, a preliminary study using 30 questionnaires was conducted in Javanrud City.
Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaires, and the coefficient
obtained (0.893) was indicative of the appropriate reliability of the questionnaires. Also, the validity of the
questionnaires was verified by expert judgment. With regard to the data collection instruments, it is worth
*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
40 | Page
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
noting that the questionnaires (using the 5-point Likert scale from very low (point 1) to very high (point 5)) were
designed by the researcher and comprised two main sections. The first part encompasses the personal
characteristics of the participants such as age, gender, marital status, education, and occupation, and the second
section incorporates various aspects of quality of life (including the nine aspects of satisfaction with economic
status, housing, environment, recreation, healthcare, education, transportation, infrastructure, and security). 37
items were used to investigate each of the aspects. Finally, the collected data were processed using SPSS
software. Considering the research objective and theoretical background of quality of life, in order to measure
the quality of life in Sonqor City, the researchers followed the studies by Das (2008) and McCrea et al. (2006)
and used subjective indicators in the nine aspects of satisfaction with economic status, housing, environment,
recreation, healthcare, education, transportation, infrastructure, and security (Table 1).
Indicator
Economy
Housing
Environmen
t
Recreation
Security
Table 1. Aspects and components used to investigate quality of life in Sonqor City
Components
Indicator
Components
1. Satisfaction with monthly income; 2.
1. Satisfaction with the quality of
Educational
Satisfaction with one’s occupational status
educational schools (Teaching method
(in terms of permanence of career); 3.
and
appropriate
treatment);
2.
Satisfaction with one’s purchasing power for
Satisfaction with the quality of
providing family needs; 4. Satisfaction with
buildings and infrastructures (materials
finding a suitable job in the City.
and age of buildings); 3. Satisfaction
with accessibility to educational centers
within appropriate time; 4. Satisfaction
with the number of teachers and
classes.
1. Satisfaction with one’s house (in terms of
Satisfaction with accessibility (in terms
Healthcare
size, foundation area, and number of rooms;
of distance) to healthcare services; 2.
2. Satisfaction with the ease of provision of
Satisfaction with medical centers in
affordable housing; 3. Satisfaction with
terms of the number of physicians and
housing facilities (light, heating and cooling
beds; 3. Satisfaction with the presence
system); 4. Satisfaction with quality of
of
specialists
and
experienced
residential unit (in terms of strong
physicians; 4. Satisfaction with medical
materials).
centers (in terms of timely treatment
and provision of medical services.
1. Satisfaction with the cleanliness of
Transportation 1. Satisfaction with the ability to go to
environment and streets; 2. Satisfaction with
other areas of the city by spending the
the condition of the city’s sewage system
least possible time; 2. Satisfaction with
and sewage disposal; 3. Satisfaction with the
the place of choice of alternative means
condition of garbage collection; 4.
of transportation (bus, bicycle, etc.); 3.
Satisfaction with the condition of air
Satisfaction with the city’s public
pollution; 5. Satisfaction with the condition
transportation; 4. Satisfaction with
of the city\s air pollution.
appropriate accessibility to bus stops
1. Satisfaction with recreational facilities
Infrastructure 1. Satisfaction with the quality of
(parks, green space, etc.); 2. Satisfaction
drinking
water
(health
and
with spaces for recreational activities for all
permanence); 2. Satisfaction with
family members; 3. Satisfaction with the
telecommunication systems (telephone
city’ sports spaces for the youths to spend
and the Internet); 3. Satisfaction with
their leisure time.
the gas distribution system; 4.
Satisfaction with the electric power
distribution system (its appropriateness
and permanence); 5. Satisfaction with
the quality of road communication
network (streets and allies).
1. Satisfaction with the availability of relief, rescue, and fire services; 2. Satisfaction with the police’s
timeliness and services; 3. Satisfaction with security when walking and spending time out at night; 4.
Satisfaction with safe relations with neighbors and avoiding quarrel with them.
*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
41 | Page
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
IV.
FINDINGS
Investigation of the condition of aspects of quality of life among residents of Sonqor City:Satisfaction with the economic factor
As can be seen in Table 2, with respect to the residents’ satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the
economic factor, the factors of satisfaction with occupational status and finding jobs in the city had the greatest
on the economic aspect, of which the most important reasons is appropriate occupational conditions in Sonqor
City thanks to the presence of appropriate infrastructures for employment (The unemployment rate among the
residents of this City is lower than 10 percent).
Table 2. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of economic factors from the
Perspective of citizens of Sonqor City
Items
Very
Low Medium High Very
Mean Standard
low
high
deviation
I am satisfied with my monthly income
24.1
15.2 41.9
12.6 6.3
2.62
1.16
I am satisfied with my occupational
16.8
26.4 35.3
14.9 6.5
2.68
1.11
status (in terms of permanence)
I am satisfied with my purchasing power 36.9
25.7 24.6
9.2
3.7
2.17
1.13
for providing my family’s needs
I am satisfied with the condition of
22.3
15.2 33.8
23.3 5.5
2.74
1.2
finding a new job in my city
Coefficient
of variation
0.442
0.414
0.52
0.437
Satisfaction with housing
Results displayed in Table 3 show that among the investigated factors, affordable housing with a
coefficient of variation of 0.527 was the most important factor in satisfaction with housing from the viewpoint
of Sonqor citizens. One of the main reasons of this fact can be associated with the presence of housing at
different prices, and, as a result, suiting any taste (considering the financial capability of housing applicants) in
different urban areas.
Table 3. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the housing aspect from the perspective of citizens of
Sonqor City
Items
Very
Low Medium High Very
Mean Standard Coefficient
low
high
deviation of variation
Satisfaction with size, area, and
63.1
16.5 14.4
3.9
2.1
1.65
1
0.606
number of rooms
Provision of affordable housing
35.9
25.7 26.2
6.8
5.5
2.2
1.16
0.527
Lighting facilities, and heating and
24.3
29.1 28.8
11.5 5.8
2.7
1.69
0.625
cooling systems
Quality of building in terms of
39
25.1 38.8
7.6
4.5
2.13
1.14
0.535
materials
Satisfaction with the environment
With respect to satisfaction with the quality of environment in Sonqor City (table 4), it can be argued
that the factors of garbage collection and swage and sewage disposal system (having coefficients of variation of
0.414 and 0.456 respectively) had the greatest importance in satisfaction with this aspect. This can be mainly
attributed to timely garbage collection and satisfaction with the related personnel, appropriate wastewater
disposal system, especially in the city.
Table 4. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the environmental aspect from the perspective of
citizens of Sonqor City
Items
Quality of environment of streets
Sewage and sewage disposal system
Garbage collection
Satisfaction with the city’s air condition
(in terms of presence of polluters)
Satisfaction with the city’s air condition
(in terms of noise polluters)
Very
low
49.2
20.2
15.4
79.1
Low
Medium
High
24.3
22.8
17.8
8.9
17.5
31.7
31.4
5.5
75.4
11.8
7.1
*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
Mean
3.7
13.6
22.5
2.4
Very
high
5.2
11.8
12.8
4.2
1.91
2.74
2.99
1.44
Standard
deviation
1.13
1.25
1.24
1
Coefficient
of variation
0.591
0.456
0.414
0.694
1.8
3.9
1.47
0.98
0.666
42 | Page
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
Satisfaction with recreational facilities
Results displayed in Table (5) which show the rate of satisfaction of citizens of Sonqor City with the
recreation aspect indicate that the factor availability of sports spaces for people to spend their leisure time (with
a coefficient of variation of 0.476) has the greatest importance in the satisfaction with this aspect. Existence of a
number of multi-purpose sport complexes and sport clubs in the city as well as small sport spaces in the
neighborhoods can be regarded as one of the main reasons for the greater effect of this factor in comparison to
others.
Table 5. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the recreation aspect from the perspective of citizens
of Sonqor City
Items
Easy access to recreational facilities such as
parks, green spaces, etc.
Ease of performing recreational activities for all
family members
Availability of sport spaces for people to spend
their leisure time
Very
low
63.1
Low
Medium
High
4.7
Very
high
5.2
14.1
12.8
47.4
18.6
22.5
5
24.1
18.8
25.1
21.7
Mean
1.75
Standard
deviation
1.16
Coefficient
of variation
0.662
6
2.14
1.87
0.873
1.2
2.75
1.31
0.476
Satisfaction with healthcare services
As can be seen in Table 6, among the factors investigated regarding satisfaction with healthcare
services, the two factors of timely treatment and offering healthcare services, and satisfaction with experienced
specialists (having coefficients of variation of 0.351 and 0.482 respectively) were the most important factors.
Optimal location of urgency centers in Sonqor City and presence of committed specialists, despite their small
number, can be one of the reasons for the above factor.
Table 6. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the healthcare aspect from the perspective of citizens
of Sonqor City
Items
Access (in terms of distance) to
healthcare services
Efficiency of the medical staff and
availability of sufficient number of beds
Satisfaction with experienced specialists
Timely treatment offering of healthcare
Very
low
63.6
Low
Medium
High
Mean
8.4
Very
high
3.7
16
8.4
38.7
27.5
26.7
11
17.8
5.8
1.73
Standard
deviation
1.14
Coefficient
of variation
0.658
19.6
9.9
4.2
2.13
1.15
0.539
31.9
38.2
14.7
25.9
8.9
19.1
2.61
3.36
1.26
1.18
0.482
0.351
Satisfaction with educational services
Results displayed in Table 7 show that teaching method and appropriate treatment of clients in the
education sector with a coefficient of variation of 0.322 has the greatest importance in satisfaction with the
quality of educational services. Presence of experienced teachers and authorities with appropriate behavior and
interactions in educational centers of Sonqor City can be one of the causes of the aforementioned factor.
Table 7. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the education aspect from the perspective of citizens of
Sonqor City
Items
Very Low Medium High Very Mean Standard
Coefficient
low
high
deviation of variation
Teaching method and appropriate
6.5
12.6
33
31.7
16.2
3.38
1.09
0.322
treatment
School buildings and classes; building
35.3
12.8
13
12
6.3
2.78
1.27
0.456
materials and age
Appropriate access
24.1
18.8
15.1
21.7
10.2
2.75
1.31
0.476
Number of teachers and number of classes
36.6
17.8
23
16
6.5
2.38
1.29
0.452
Satisfaction with urban transportation
As can be seen in table 8, among the 4 investigated factors, the factor of quick access to other city areas
with a coefficient of variation of 0.370 had the greatest importance in the satisfaction of Sonqor citizens with
urban transportation. An active taxi transportation system, numerous travel agencies, etc. could be some of the
causes of the aforementioned factor.
*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
43 | Page
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
Table 8. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the transportation aspect from the perspective of
citizens of Sonqor City
Items
Very
Low Medium High
Very
Mean
Standard
Coefficient of
low
high
deviation
variation
Satisfaction with the city’s public
13.9
19.1
19.1
17.3
30.6
3.32
1.43
0.430
transportation
Ease of choice of alternative means
13.1
16.8
34.3
24.3
11.5
3.04
1.18
0.388
of transportation such as buses,
bicycles, etc.
Appropriate accessibility to bus stops
30.6
22.5
30.9
10.5
5.5
2.43
1.28
0.526
Quick accessibility to other city areas
10.2
13.4
24.9
26.4
25.1
3.43
1.27
0.370
Satisfaction with infrastructure
As can be seen in Table 9, among the components of the infrastructure aspect, satisfaction with two the
factors of electric power distribution and telecommunication networks (telephone and the Internet) having
coefficients of variation of 0.41 and 0.469 have the greatest importance in satisfaction with the infrastructure
aspect. Seldom cases of power outage at homes and workshops, efficient rendering of telecommunication
services particularly the Internet are among the main causes of the greater impact of these two factors in
comparison to other factors with regard to satisfaction with the infrastructures of Sonqor City.
Table 9. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the infrastructure aspect from the perspective of
citizens of Sonqor City
Items
Drinking water (its health and permanence)
Telecommunication networks (telephone and
the Internet)
Efficient gas distribution
electric power distribution (its efficiency and
permanence)
Road communication network (streets, allies,
and other pathways)
Very
low
23.3
35.6
Low
Medium
High
Mean
18.1
4.2
Very
high
16
1.6
16.2
23.3
26.4
35.3
47.9
24.3
33.5
23.3
56.5
24.1
2.87
2.13
Standard
deviation
1.37
1
Coefficient
of variation
0.477
0.469
14.4
42.9
2.6
7.9
1.6
1.6
1.76
2.39
0.90
0.98
0.511
0.41
12.3
5.8
1.3
1.71
0.97
0.567
Satisfaction with security
With regard to satisfaction with security from the perspective of Sonqor citizens, results of Table 10 show that
the two factors of rendering of services by and timely presence of the police, and existence of security when
walking and spending time out at night with coefficients of variation of 0.511 and 0.522 had the greatest
importance. Existence of police stations as well as all out and full-time presence of the police, particularly at
night, in the city neighborhoods is one of the most important reasons of this fact.
Table 10. Satisfaction with quality of life in terms of the security aspect from the perspective of citizens of
Sonqor City
Items
Very Low Medium High Very Mean Standard Coefficient
low
high
deviation of variation
Rendering of relief, rescue and fire services 38.2 24.9
25.4
7.3
4.2
2.14
1.13
0.528
Rendering of services and timely presence
34.8 24.9
24.3
12.6
3.4
2.25
1.15
0.511
of the police
Existence of security when walking and
24.1 28.8
20.9
6
2.1
1.97
1.03
0.522
spending time out at night
Having safe relationships with neighbors
41.1
23
14.9
12
8.9
2.25
1.33
0.591
and avoiding quarrel with them
Satisfaction with the 9 aspects of quality of life and its general level among Sonqor citizens
After investigating the level of satisfaction with the factor of quality of life in Sonqor City (37 factors),
the level of participants’ satisfaction with the nine factors of quality of life and their general satisfaction with
quality was measured (Table 11). Results displayed in the above table show that among the nine factors of
quality of life, satisfaction with the three aspects of housing, transportation, and education, having coefficients
of variation of 0.319, 0.331, and 0.412 respectively, had the greatest importance from the point of view of
Sonqor citizens. And, for that matter, satisfaction with the three aspects of recreation, environment and security
*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
44 | Page
Analysis of Subjective Indicators of Quality of Life in Urban Areas of Iran (Case Study: Sonqor City)
having coefficients of variation of 0.529, 0.522, and 0.509 respectively had the lowest importance. Results
regarding the general level of quality of life of Sonqor citizens show that 74.7 percent of the respondents
consider the quality of life to be low and very low, 22.5 percent consider it to be medium, and only 2.9 percent
consider it to be high and very high. The mean level of quality of life (2.07 percent) is testimony to the low level
of quality of life in Sonqor City.
Table 11. Satisfaction with the nine aspects of quality of life and its overall level from the perspective of
citizens of Sonqor City
Main aspects of
quality of life
Economy
Housing
Environment
Recreation
Health
Education
Transportation
Infrastructure
Security
General quality
Very
low
22
96.6
46.6
42.7
24.3
58.6
7.6
27.7
43.7
22.3
Low
Medium
High
33.8
2.9
39.3
27.2
35.6
38.5
19.9
41.4
29.8
52.4
26.7
0
8.9
23.8
28.3
2.4
38.2
24.3
21.2
22.5
13.1
0
2.6
2.9
9.2
0
28.5
5
3.7
1.3
V.
Very
high
4.5
0.5
2.6
3.4
2.6
0.5
5.8
1.6
1.6
1.6
Mean
2.44
1.04
1.75
1.97
2.30
1.45
3.04
2.11
1.89
2.07
Standard
deviation
1.1.3
0.332
0.914
1.043
1.019
0.598
1.009
0.922
0.963
0.798
Coefficient of
variation
0.452
0.319
0.522
0.529
0.433
0.412
0.331
0.436
0.509
0.385
CONCLUSION
Today, the quality of urban life, as one of the basic issues, has attracted the attention of scholars of
urban science. There are various definitions for quality of life in different sources. It can be defined as desired
objective environmental conditions and positive individual evaluation of these conditions. However, the scale of
method of investigation of quality of life does not follow a certain law. Different scientific disciplines such as
medicine, sociology, urban planning, geography, etc. each studies quality of life based on its own specialty.
Determination of the type of indicators, analysis procedure, the method used, study scale, and generally all study
aspects in the investigations of quality of life are related to the main objective of this study and the specialty of
the researcher.
This study attempted to investigate the quality of life in Sonqor City. For this purpose, 37 factors
subsumed under 9 main aspects (i.e. satisfaction with economic status, housing, environment, recreation,
healthcare, education, transportation, infrastructure, and security conditions) were used. Results demonstrated
that the ranking of the nine investigated factors in terms of importance and effectiveness is as follows: housing
(coefficient of variation 0.319), transportation (coefficient of variation 0.331),education (coefficient of
variation0.412), infrastructures (coefficient of variation0.436), Healthcare (coefficient of variation 0.443),
Economic status (coefficient of variation 0.452), security (coefficient of variation0.509), environment
(coefficient of variation0.552), and recreation (coefficient of variation 0.529). Moreover, the results of the
investigation of the general level of quality of life demonstrated that approximately 75 percent of the
participants were at low or very low levels of quality of life. The results of this study are consistent with the
results of the studies by Soleimani et al. (2013), and Soleimani et al. (2012), indicating low quality of life in
urban neighborhoods. In contrast, the results of inconsistent with the findings made by Qorbani et al. (2013)
which indicate desired conditions of quality of life in the city of Chalus. To enhance the quality of life in Sonqor
City, considering the low quality of life in this City, the authorities and planners of must take all the aspects into
consideration. Hence, it is recommended that the necessary measures be taken into consideration with regard to
the nine aspects, because negligence of these aspects can lay the foundation for numerous challenges and crises
in the city.
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*Corresponding Author: Mojtaba Shoeibi
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Mojtaba Shoeibi