Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• shahrivar rostaei ¹
• Hossein Abbasiasl ²
• Iraj Teimouri ³

¹ Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

² M.A. Graduate in Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

³ Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Background and objective: Urban quality of life in small cities particularly under conditions of constrained resources requires evidence-based prioritization of interventions. This study seeks to elucidate the factors influencing urban quality of life in the small city of Nazik and to derive improvement priorities using an importance performance approach.

Methodology: Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey using a Likert-scale questionnaire; a total of 383 valid responses were obtained. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling and bootstrapping. Importance performance analysis was then conducted based on standardized total effects and perceived performance (scored from 0 to 100). To determine intervention priorities, the performance gap relative to the median performance and a priority index were calculated.

Findings: Descriptive results indicated that “security” had the highest mean satisfaction (3.51), whereas “health and healthcare” had the lowest mean satisfaction (1.96). In the structural model, “social cohesion” emerged as the strongest predictor of urban quality of life. The social dimension and urban facilities and services also exhibited positive and statistically significant effects. In contrast, housing showed a negative and significant effect. The model demonstrated satisfactory fit and predictive power for urban quality of life. Based on the importance–performance analysis, urban governance, health and healthcare, and urban services were identified as the primary improvement priorities.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that improving quality of life in Nazik depends primarily on strengthening neighborhood-level social capital, enhancing urban governance, and improving access to health and urban services. In the housing domain, particular emphasis should be placed on alleviating residential pressures and pursuing qualitative reforms in policies and interventions.

Keywords

• Urban Quality of Life
• PLS-SEM
• Small and Intermediate Cities
• Importance–Performance Map Analysis (IPMA)

Main Subjects

• Urban Planning