Investigating Impact of age-friendly city indicators on elderlies satisfaction in Iranian cities (Case study: Tehran)

Abstract :

The increase of elderly people and need to pay attention to the needs of old age have made the importance of urban planning based on their needs, so much so that the World Health Organization has chosen the current decade as the decade of aging and required countries to follow the rules of age-friendly cities. The aim of research was to investigate the effect of age-friendly city indicators on the satisfaction of elderlies in Tehran. The statistical population was the elderly living in Tehran, from whom 400 people were selected as a statistical sample using Cochran formula. Data were collected through a 52-question questionnaire, 46 of which were translated of the global questionnaire on age-friendly city indicators, and its validity was confirmed through content validity and its reliability through Cronbach's alpha. Findings using multivariate regression analysis showed the age-friendly city criteria included; Housing, social participation, social respect and acceptance, civic participation and employment, communication and information, social support and health services, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transportation played an important role in the satisfaction of the elderly with life in Tehran, respectively. Also, based on the results of the study, Tehran is not in a favorable situation from the perspective of the elderly in the variables of civic participation and employment, social support and health services, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transportation, but this city is in a favorable situation in the variables of housing, social participation, social respect and acceptance, and communication and information.

References:

درگاه ملی آمار ایران.(1404). https://amar.org.ir/statistical-information
رحمتی، منصور و محمدی، چنور . (1401). مدلسازی معادلات ساختاری شاخص‌های شهر دوستدار سالمند کرمانشاه. جغرافیا و آمایش شهری منطقه‌ای، 12(43)، 123-148. doi: 10.22111/gaij.2022.41249.2985
رسیده، بهزاد ، مرصوصی، نفیسه ، طالشی، مصطفی و موسی کاظمی، سیدمهدی . (1402). تحلیل شاخص‌های زیرساخت‌های شهر دوستدار سالمند در کلان‌شهر مشهد. فصلنامه علمی پژوهش های بوم شناسی شهری، 14(شماره 3 (پیاپی 32))، 1-16. doi: 10.30473/grup.2023.65521.2736
شرقی، علی ، ضرغامی، اسماعیل ، صالحی کوسالاری، فرزانه و الفت، میلاد . (1395). سنجش وضعیت شاخص‌های جهانی شهر دوستدار ِسالمند در کلان‌شهر تهران .مطالعات و پژوهش‌های شهری و منطقه‌ای 28(2)، 1-22.
طالب پور، اکبر . (1402). تبیین تأثیر طرد اجتماعی بر گرایش به مصرف مواد مخدر در بین زنان. مطالعات اجتماعی روان شناختی زنان، 21(4)، 36-63. doi: 10.22051/jwsps.2023.42466.2705
طالب‌پور، اکبر؛ بیرانوند، معصومه. (1401). بررسی تجربه زیسته تجرد قطعی از منظر دختران مجرد. فصلنامه زن و جامعه، 13(51) 95-114. doi: 10.30495/jzvj.2022.30184.3807
گودرزی، مجید، ملکی، سعید، خدابخشی داریوش.(1402). مدل سازی معادلات ساختاری عوامل مؤثر بر تحقق شهر دوستدار سالمند (مطالعه موردی؛ شهر اهواز)، مطالعات برنامه‌ریزی سکونت‌گاه‌های انسانی، 18(4) 171-184.
محمدپور، صابر ، حمیدی، آرمان ، یکتا لشکریانی، عارفه و مرتضی پور هنده خاله، ندا . (1403). امکان سنجی تحقق رویکرد محله دوستدار سالمند (مطالعه موردی: محله باقرآباد شهر رشت). مطالعات جغرافیایی نواحی ساحلی، 5(4)، 41-56. doi: 10.22124/gscaj.2025.26209.1279
محمودزاده، حسن ، آقایاری هیر، توکل و حاتمی، داود . (1403). ارزیابی وضعیت منطقه چهار کلانشهر تبریز از منظر شهر دوستدار سالمند. جغرافیا و برنامه‌ریزی، 28(88)، 79-47. doi: 10.22034/gp.2023.54153.3060
موسوی، میرنجف ، بایرام‌زاده، نیما و شهسوار، امین . (1404). تبیین وضعیت معیارهای شهر دوستدار سالمند از دیدگاه ساکنین (نمونه موردی: شهر میاندوآب). جغرافیای اجتماعی شهری، 12(1)، 19-40. doi: 10.22103/jusg.2025.2143


Fainstein, S. S. (2010). The Just City. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Fujihara, S., Noguchi، T., Ide, K.,Jeong, S., Kondo، K. & Ojima, T. (2025). Developing an indicator for community-level age-friendly communities: the Japan gerontological evaluation study. BMC Geriatr 25, 285 . https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-05919-4
Fusaro, G., D’Alessandro, F., Baldinelli, G.، & Kang, J. (2018). Design of urban furniture to enhance the soundscape: A case study. Building Acoustics, 25(1), 61-75.
Harvey, D. (2008). The right to the city. New Left Review، 53, 23–40.
Healey, P. (1997). Collaborative Planning: Shaping Places in Fragmented Societies. London: Macmillan.
Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for People. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Goodarzi, M., Maleki, S., Khodabakhshi، Dariush.(2024).EStructural Equation Modeling of Factors Affecting the Realization of an Elderly-Friendly City، (Case Study of Ahvaz). Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning، vol. 18، no. 4، 2024، pp. 171-184.(In Persian).
Greenfield، E., Pope, N., & Pestine-Stevens, A. (2023). Age-Friendly cities and communities: Research on local practice to strengthen the movement's future. Innovation in Aging,7(Suppl 1), 103. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igad104.0334.
Jackman, P.C., Dargue-Fox, E.J., Hawkins, R.M. (2025). Physical activity in age-friendly cities and communities: a scoping review with recommendations to support policy and practice. BMC Public Health 25، 4107 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-25108-7.
Lang, J.(1987). Creating architectural theory: The role of the behavioral sciences in environmental design. Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Mace، R. (1985). Universal design: Barrier-free environments for everyone. The Center for Universal Design، North Carolina State University.
Mahmoudzadeh, H., Aghayari Hir, T, & Hatami, D. (2024). Assessing the elderly-friendly city status in the region four of Tabriz Metropolis. Journal of Geography and Planning, 28 (88), 329-355. http//doi. org/10 .22034/GP.2023.54153.3060.(In Persian).
Mohammadpour, S., Hamidi, A., Yektā Lashkariyāni, A., & Mortezāpour Hendeh Khāleh,N. (2025). Feasibility of Realizing the Elderly-Friendly Neighborhood Approach (Case Study: Bāgherābād Neighborhood of the City of Rasht)Geographical Studies of Coastal Areas Journal، 5 (4)، pp. 41-56. DOI: 10.22124/gscaj.2025.26209.1279.(In Persian).
Mousavi, M. N. , Bayramzadeh, N. and Shahsavar, A. (2025). Evaluating Age-Friendly City Criteria from Residents' Perspective (Case Study: Miandoab, Iran). Journal of Urban Social Geography,12(1), 19-40. doi: 10.22103/jusg.2025.2143.(In Persian).
Olgun, R., & Erdoğan, R. (2016). Urban furniture and user satisfaction: The example of Antalya-Gulluk avenue. Journal of the Faculty of Forestry Istanbul University, 66(2), 674-682.
Phillipson, C. (2025). Population Ageing and Urbanisation: Creating Sustainable Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. In: Guardado Moreira، M.J., A. Carvalho, L.S.,Simões, Â., Candeias, M.d.J., Tomás, H.M. (eds) Sustainability in Aging. Lecture Notes in Bioengineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77282-5_1.
Rahmati, M. and Mohammadi، C. (2022). Modeling Structural Equations of The Characteristics of The Elderly Friendly City of Kermanshah. Geography and Territorial Spatial Arrangement, 12(43), 23-148. doi: 10.22111/gaij.2022.41249.2985.(In Persian).
Resideh، B. , Marsoosi، N. , Taleshi, M. and Moosa Kazemi, S. M. (2023). Analysis of Infrastructure Index of Elderly-Friendly City in Mashhad Metropolis. Journal of Urban Ecology Researches، 14(3), 1-16. doi: 10.30473/grup.2023.65521.2736.(In Persian).
Segura Cardona, A., Cardona Arango, D., Segura Cardona, A., Robledo Marín, C., & Muñoz Rodríguez, D. (2022). Friendly Residential Environments That Generate Autonomy in Older Persons. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(1), 409. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010409.
Sharqi, A. , Zarghami، E. , Salehi Kousalari, F. and Olfat, M. (2016). Evaluating status of global indices of age-friendly city in Tehran Metropolis (AFC). Journal of Urban - Regional Studies and Research, 28(2), 1-22.(In Persian).
Soja, E. W. (2010). Seeking spatial justice. University of Minnesota Press.
Steinfeld, E., & Maisel, J. (2012). Universal Design: Creating Inclusive Environments. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Talebpour, A., & Beiranvand, M. (2022). Investigating the lived experience of permanent celibacy from the perspective of single girls. Quarterly Journal of Woman and Society,13(51), 95-114. [In Persian]. doi: 10.30495/jzvj.2022.30184.3807.
Talebpour, A. (2023). Explaining the Impact of Social Exclusion on Tendency to Use Drugs Among Women. Women's Studies Sociological and Psychological، 21(4), 36-63. [In Persian]. doi: 10.22051/jwsps.2023.42466.2705
UN-Habitat. (2016). Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures. Nairobi: UN-Habitat.
Wang, Z., Nie, M. & Wu, Y. (2025). Policy Issues in the Planning of Age-Friendly Communities in Urban and Rural China: A Case Study of Jiangxi Province. Soc 62, 209–222 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-025-01083-y
World Health Organization (WHO). (2007). Global Age-friendly Cities: A Guide. Geneva: WHO.
World Health Organization UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. [(accessed on 18 September 2015)]. Available online: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/summit.
World Health Organization UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. [(accessed on 18 October 2022)]. Available online: https://www.who.int/initiatives/decade-of-healthy-ageing.
World Health Organization Ageing and Health. [(accessed on 1 October 2022)]. Available online: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health.
Whyte, W. H. (1980). The social life of small urban spaces. Project for Public Spaces.