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Mapping the Way to Good Health: The Interdisciplinary Challenges of Geographers in Medical Research

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  • Richard Casey Sadler

    (Division of Public Health, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Flint, MI 48502, USA
    Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Kristian Larsen

    (CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
    Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
    Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada)

Abstract

Geography has an important role to play in shaping the direction of medical research. In particular, its tools and theory provide essential understanding to the impacts of place on health behaviors and outcomes. Understanding some of its evolution—particularly into the subfield of medical geography—is therefore useful both for geographers and medical researchers. In this paper, we present some of the debates that geographers have grappled with, the growth of GIS (particularly in the context of medical research), some important methodological considerations that geographers help center, and some recommendations for future work at this nexus. Throughout, we speak from the perspective of geographers who have worked nearly exclusively in the health sciences since obtaining our PhDs.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Casey Sadler & Kristian Larsen, 2022. "Mapping the Way to Good Health: The Interdisciplinary Challenges of Geographers in Medical Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12419-:d:929165
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    References listed on IDEAS

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