Extended Abstract

1. Introduction

Health is the foundation of life activities and an important goal of comprehensive human development. Studies in public health, social sciences, and urban planning have shown that the built environment plays an important role in urban health and, consequently, human health. The built environment is a variety of buildings and places that are constructed and modified by humans and includes a wide range of elements such as land use, transportation organization, and spatial design. These closely impact physical activities, social capital, transportation methods, and the physical and mental health of residents. The natural environment is also based on areas such as neighborhood green spaces and parks, and the social environment focuses on issues such as neighborhood safety, neighborhood healthcare, and neighborhood relations, which play a clear role in promoting residents' mental and social health. Karbala is an important city in Iraq, located in the center of the country and in the middle of a hot desert. The Euphrates River and its branches have long been the lifeblood of the city. This holy city has been beloved by Shiites since 680 due to the painful event of Taf. The specific conditions of the city's natural environment, on the one hand; its structural and physical condition, on the other; the culture and lifestyle, and quality of urban services; and the huge burden of tourist populations from near and far around the world are all factors that determine the health of the city's environment. Studying them, especially in the central neighborhoods of this holy city, which bear the greatest burden of human residence, activity, and gatherings, is of great importance for the attention of urban management, policymakers,  and planners in Iraq, and this research has addressed this issue. This research was conducted in line with the following questions: 1) What is the status of the central area of Karbala in terms of environmental health indicators? 2) What is the spatial distribution pattern of environmental health indicators? 3) What are the spatial differences in environmental health indicators in the study area, and is there a relationship with the distance from Beinolharamain?

2. Materials and Methods

This research is based on a combination of documentary and field data and information. The data collection tool is an assessment checklist including 27 health indicators. The checklists are filled in by three observers. The mean scores were entered into Excel in accordance with the coordinates of the observers’ points to create a point layer in the GIS. The IDW interpolation tool is performed to draw zoning maps.  Moran model is also performed to show the spatial distribution pattern of variables. The One-Sample T-Test in SPSS software is used to show the mean values of the variables.  Cronbach's alpha (0.78) ensured the reliability of the test. Given that throughout the ages, Beinolharamain has been the beating heart of the city of Karbala. Therefore, in line with the question of how the health of the environment changes with distance from there, the Euclidean distance of the sampling points from the area is calculated using the Near tool in the GIS. The geographically weighted regression (GWR: R2) between the two raster maps of distance from the area and the average value of any index of healthy environment is used to obtain the R2 map. This map showed the spatial correlation between independent and dependent variables.

3. Results and Discussion

The average score of the 27 environmental health items is 4.03. Given the assessment made on a scale of 1 to 10, this score indicates that environmental health conditions of the study area are below the average (5). 10 indicators out of the total 27 indicators showed scores above the mean figure (5). The indicators of "proper disposal of wastewater" and " noise pollution", which have the highest figures among the indicators, are only 0.8 higher than the mean (5). At the lowest end, it is the “air quality” indicator. The Moran’s diagram and figure (1.01) indicate that the spatial distribution of the mean value of the indicators has a more random distribution and it is neither scattered nor clustered. In Beinolharamain, and especially its northern edge, the indicators show a lower status. The two sets of figures,  including the average score of the variables and the distance from the Beinolharamain area, did not show regular spatial correlation (R2).

4. Conclusions

To improve environmental health in the study area, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive regeneration plan that includes all physical, environmental, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions and preserves the cultural identity of the city, and also promotes its role as a religious tourism destination.

5. Acknowledgment & Funding

The manuscript did not receive a grant from any organization.

6. Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.