ABSTRACT

Health geographers are well situated for undertaking population health intervention research (PHIR), and have an opportunity to be at the forefront of this emerging area of inquiry. However, in order to advance PHIR, the scientific community needs to be innovative with its methodologies, theories, and ability to think critically about population health issues. For example, using alternatives (e.g. community-based participatory research) to traditional study designs such as the randomised control trial, health geographers can contribute in important ways to understanding the complex relationships between population health (both intended and unintended consequences), interventions and place. Representing a diverse array of health concerns ranging across chronic and infectious diseases, and research employing varied qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the contributions to this book illustrate how geographic concepts and approaches have informed the design and planning of intervention(s) and/or the evaluation of health impacts. For example, the authors argue that geographically targeting interventions to places of high-need and tailoring interventions to local place contexts are critically important for intervention success. Including an afterword by Professor Louise Potvin, this book will appeal to researchers interested in population and public/community health and epidemiology as well as health geography.

chapter 3|22 pages

The vacant land inventory

An approach to support vacant lot redevelopment for population health improvement in Milwaukee, WI, USA

chapter 5|13 pages

From cultural clashes to settlement stressors

A review of HIV prevention interventions for gay and bisexual immigrant men in North America

chapter 6|13 pages

Making a place for health in vulnerability analysis

A case study on dengue in Malaysia and Brazil

chapter 9|13 pages

Shaping the direction of youth health with COMPASS

A research platform for evaluating natural experiments and generating practice-based evidence in school-based prevention

chapter 11|13 pages

Food retail environments in Canada

Evidence, framing, and promising interventions to improve population diet