A Study of Effects of Resettlement Models on Changes of Quality of Life in Earthquake-Stricken Villages of Iran, Case Study: Earthquake-Stricken Villages of East Azerbaijan Province

To improve the quality of rural life, considering the dimensions and effects of resettlement projects as the main rural communities is indispensable. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of resettlement on quality of life and explain factors affecting it in the resettled villages in East Azerbaijan Province. The research methodology is descriptive and analytical and the required data were collected using the questionnaire tool. The study population was 37902 people living in 45 resettled villages of East Azerbaijan Province. The sample size was 400 people who were randomly selected. The questionnaire validity was confirmed by experts and its reliability was obtained 0.895 using Cronbach Formula. Results indicate that life satisfaction in Likert six-point scale was equal to 3673 and the highest and lowest levels of satisfaction are related to the areas of infrastructure and employment and income. In addition, the results of the factorial analysis were identified in nine dimensions for quality of life so that six factors of physical development, welfare services, housing quality, relations with neighboring cities and villages, hygiene and well-being totally explain 65.5% of the variance of quality of life. With respect to the importance of quality life in the development and welfare of human societies, in resettlement projects, it is necessary to considerate effects and consequences on the quality of rural life in addition to selecting the optimal rural site in order to improve the residents’ wellbeing while identifying the strengths and weaknesses of these projects.

Resettlement, Quality of Life, Rural Settlement, East Azerbaijan, Iran