EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY CITY INDICATORS AND SATISFACTION LEVELS TOWARDS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SHAPING A HEALTHY CITY

Abstract

This study explores the correlation between the perceived importance of healthy city indicators and the satisfaction level towards the effectiveness of the government in creating a healthy city environment. Nineteen distinct healthy city indicators, categorised within 5 dimensions, were tested for their significance in relation to satisfaction levels towards the effectiveness of the local authority. The cross-sectional data collected from face-to-face questionnaire survey was analysed using Goodman and Kruskal's gamma, while controlling for socio-demographic variables (n=121). Significant indicators include; (i) improving accessibility to public spaces (β= .528, p= .004), recreational and commercial areas (β= .506, p= .001); (ii) increasing the availability of public transport (β= .398, p= .026) complemented by proper infrastructures and facilities (β= .305, p= .014), (iii) providing more variety of green spaces (β= .529, p= .004), and improving the continuity of green networks (β= .399, p= .015); (iv) introducing measures to improve the quality of housing, focusing on increasing occupants’ comfortability and healthy living (β= .474, p= .005); (v) facilitating better accessibility to business and commercial areas (β= .598, p= .000); (vi) improving street connectivity and increasing the number of intersections (β= .418, p= .002). Although this study only found a meaningful connection between the perceived importance of indicators and satisfaction levels towards the government without a comparative analysis against the current city condition, this does not negate the crucial role of subjective perceptions in the government’s efforts to manage public expectations. Studies of this nature provide opportunities for further exploration, particularly in involving public participation in the planning processes.