Role of Geography in Inequalities in Health and Human Development

Abstract While the empirical evidence for the effect of geography on health is compelling, to make further progress it is necessary to revisit the scientific basis for asking questions about the influence of places on health. This chapter addresses this conceptual question. It first reviews existing evidence on location and health, then offers two perspectives from the past—one from sociology and one from epidemiology—that clarify the motivations for studying place effects and that help to chart a path forward. It concludes with a discussion of the challenges and possibilities for future study on the connections between location, social environment, and health, as well as the potential policy implications.