A Historic Review of Health Geography: From Medical Cartography to A Holistic Discipline

Abstract

Health Geography is the study of the spatial distribution of Health, disease, and Healthcare. Its history reflects a growth in the overall approach, more than focusing on environmental factors, including social and cultural effects. This research paper provides a historical review of Health Geography, which traces its development from early Medical comments to its modern form. It discovers the major intellectual change, decisive figures, and functional progress that have shaped the discipline. Starting with the underdeveloped spatial comments of Hippocrates, the paper examines the rise of Medical cartography during the 19th-century cholera epidemic, highlighting the basic function of John Snow. This was followed by the formalities of the region and its infection after the "Medical Geography" paradigm in the mid-20th century, which included social, cultural, and environmental determinants of Health. The paper ends by examining the current status of the field, which focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to the use of advanced geographical information systems (GIS) and equity and access issues.