ABSTRACT
Health geography is a dynamic field of study. It has witnessed dramatic changes over the past few decades, moving from its original solid foundation in positivist thought through a variety of alternative theoretical and methodological approaches. Along the way, it has tackled many of the most significant problems that face the efficient, equitable and caring delivery of health care. We hope this text has captured some of the excitement that health geographers feel when they attempt to improve the health of people worldwide. In particular, we have tried to show how culture and place interact in producing healthy or unhealthy societies. This chapter summarizes some of the highlights of the culture, health and place synergy. The focus will be on several topics that we want to leave as a final impression on the minds of readers: (1) theoretical diversity, (2) key questions, (3) the disciplinary/interdisciplinary tension, and (4) what makes a health geographer today.
