Identifying environmental factors influencing biological crises Research sample: Tabriz metropolis

Objective: Natural biological crises are a constant threat to human societies; therefore, preparedness to control and prevent such disasters is considered essential.In dealing with such urban crises, addressing the issue of non-pharmacological interventions against infectious diseases can be a solution.Therefore, the present study aims to find the leading indicators that are effective in the epidemic and explain the environmental components resulting from the interaction and correlation of relevant indicators measurable at the neighborhood level based on previous environmental studies.Methods: All available environmental indicators were identified at the level of 118 neighborhoods of the Tabriz metropolis.Then, using secondary information, the environmental indicators of the neighborhoods were obtained using exploratory factor analysis.Then, using an exploratory-experimental method based on quantitative methods, after explaining the environmental components effective in the epidemic, the neighborhoods of Tabriz metropolis were categorized. Results: Ultimately, 42 indicators and eight components were identified as factors affecting the spread of epidemic diseases at the neighborhood level: crowding, diversity and design, social factors, density, economic factors, health infrastructure, environmental pollution, and green and open spaces.Each of these factors includes several indicators that allow measurement of the aforementioned component.Conclusions: Based on the results, the effects of environmental factors on the transmission of COVID-19 are differentiated in terms of location.These components collectively represent more than 82% of the changes in practical environmental factors.Planners, developers, and researchers can classify neighborhoods in terms of epidemic spread based on the extent of these components and consider appropriate strategies in future decisionmaking for sustainable urban development.