Analysis of the Relationship between Physical Variables of Urban Settlements and Mental Disorders Based on GSI IndexCase Study: Isfahan Metropolis

As an important subjects in the urban studies, an issue that has been less addressed in Iran so far, is the relationship between the physical quality of citizens' living environment and mental disorders. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical quality indices of urban neighborhoods and mental disorders in Isfahan metropolis. This study was performed on 434 citizens of Isfahan. The assessment of mental disorders was performed with SCL-90 questionnaire. The quality of people's living environment was assessed in five dimensions (natural conditions, quality of public open spaces, street conditions, environmental pollution and local services) with a researcher-made questionnaire. Data analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and Ordinal Logistic Regression. Results showed, the mean score of the Global Severity Index was 1.29. In the correlation analysis, a significant relationship was seen between mental disorders and physical characteristics (P <0.001). The results of OLR showed that 15 indicators (local parks, quality of sidewalks, walking capacity, diversity of vegetation, street safety, sitting and pause spaces, street lighting at night, cleanliness of the environment, no noise pollution, smooth traffic on the surface Neighborhoods, water spaces, diversity of plants, trees and flowers, access to recreational facilities, access to public transportation and access to local shopping malls) have the greatest impact on mental disorders. The correlation between mental disorders and the physical quality of urban neighborhoods means the integration of health considerations and urban planning principles to reduce the negative effects of residential environments on mental disorders.