International Journal of

---

Experts have found that natural environment could have positive impacts on patient’s treatment process. The impact of natural environment on mental state and lowering the stress level of the patients is undeniable. In this study, the impacts of natural environment on patient women in Tehran general hospitals were investigated. After conducting a topical study of the issue on hand, using field observation method, opinion of the patient women in a few of Tehran’s general hospitals was asked. Moreover, number of doctors and architects were asked to furnish the study with their opinion on this issue. After analysis of the answers, interesting conclusions on effect of open and green space on patient women were drawn. Based on these findings, designing open green spaces adjoined to the maternity ward could be in a way that encourages social behaviors, personal progress and convenient interaction with others and elevates mental and physical health of the patients.

---

Based on a gender equity perspective and within a pluralistic civil society, women should have equal rights for presence in and use of urban open spaces. Despite this, various factors decrease their presence including inappropriate design of space, as well as socio-cultural obstacles. Since women’s major place of presence and activity has traditionally been in or near home, neighborhood open space is chosen as a relevant case study. Through a questionnaire survey of 180 subjects, 90 male and 90 female, of both marital status the criteria affecting their presence are investigated. Results show that environmental quality factors are more effective than socio-cultural factors on presence of women in urban open spaces.

---

Designing the maternity ward of hospitals is crucial due to the special conditions of mothers before, during, and after birth. Numerous environmental factors affect mothers, and it calls for an evidence-based design of these spaces. Although many investigations have drawn their attention to the issue, there is a paucity of research in terms of the significance of the birth environment factors. Therefore, the specific question of the research is that to what extent each of these factors is significant? In order to answer this question, the researchers devised a questionnaire based on which the most prominent variables could be ascertained. The questionnaire contained four main domains, including fear cascade, facilities, aesthetics and support, and the researchers distributed them among mothers in four hospitals in Golestan province, Iran. Six influential spaces affecting mothers, including communication space, hospitalization room, nursing station, neonatal room, operation room and external space, were investigated in this regard. Using the descriptive-analytical method and SPSS software, the research hypotheses were tested, and the Friedman test was employed to rank the domains and their variables. The findings demonstrated the significance of the aesthetic domain and such variables as the nursing station, natural light in corridors, and view to the doctor room. The study offered fresh insights into the design of a peaceful maternity ward.

---

This study seeks to investigate the effect that environmental factors have on the use or non-use of bicycles according to gender in urban travels in Iran. To this aim, while conducting a questionnaire survey among 304 bicycle users (162 males and 141 females) within the dedicated bicycle network in Shiraz, "T" test and "Regression" statistical tests were conducted to investigate the preference differences between the two groups (male and female) and specifically, the effect of factors among women.
Based on the findings of the aforementioned statistical tests, both men and women faced barriers to using bicycles in urban travels, although a difference was observed between the two genders in the effective environment they preferred. This difference is especially significant regarding socio-cultural indicators considering the specific traditional-religious context in Iran. Therefore, in addition to indicators such as "sense of safety," "path security," "using dedicated bicycle lanes," "path greenness and attractiveness, " women's cycling is significantly affected by indicators such as "community custom and people's judgment" and also "religious norms."
Based on the analysis, education of women about the benefits of using bicycle and the creation of synergy between cultural and religious institutions of the society to remove social, cultural and normative barriers for women's cycling in Iran along with planning to increase urban bicycle transportation lanes with the necessary environmental qualities and standards can increase the per capita and eliminate the disparity in the number of men and women who cycle in developing countries such as Iran.