An Investigation of the Effect of Environmental Security Component on the Mental Health of Citizens in Urban Spaces: A Case Study of Janbaz Square in Mashhad

The crisis of unsuitability of urban spaces threatens the mental health of citizens in mental dimensions. Lack of security in urban spaces is one of the factors influencing such a crisis. In such circumstances, it is necessary to adopt new approaches to urban planning to promote the environmental health of citizens. Environmental security is one of the mental health components in urban spaces. Optimal and practical design of built spaces will reduce crime occurrence and increase security in urban spaces. A safe urban space encourages appropriate activities and threatens inappropriate ones. By increasing the presence of citizens and their supervision over conditions, the observation by others will be possible, the level of social interaction will increase and the security will enter the environment. The research method of the current study is analytical-interpretive and it has been carried out through a field-based survey. In the first step, the criteria for assessing the impact of security on the mental health of citizens in urban spaces were extracted from reliable internal and external sources and then, using a questionnaire, people's opinions were collected (n = ۱۵۰). The data of the questionnaires were entered in SPSS software. Based on the exploratory factor analysis technique, the variables were classified into ۵ factors explaining the feeling of security, including: noise pollution, favorable green space, lack of blind spots, amenities and lighting. Then, using Friedman test, Pearson test and T test, the relationship between the five factors and the feeling of security in the field was measured. It was found out that the most effective component in mental health is favorable green space, and lighting has the least effect on mental health.

Keywords:

Environmental Security , Health , mental health , Urban Space