ABSTRACT
This introduction present an overview of key concept discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. Health geographers have a clear interest in equity as it relates to many issues including access to and receipt of the kinds of health and social care central to a PHC approach, particularly across space or between groups within a particular place. Neil Hanlon considers the concepts of access and utilization as they relate to PHC. He argues that we need to consider PHC more broadly, rather than primary care specifically, in order to more accurately understand access and utilization as doing so allows us to better account for equity in service distribution and use. The chapter concludes by calling for a multidimensional perspective' on access and utilization by health geographers and others. Nadine Schuurman's chapter follows and serves as an interesting response in that she focuses on specific dimensions related to PHC access. Gina Agarwal examines geographic aspects of GPs' practice.
