GEOGRAPHY OF HEALTH: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION

Abstract

Health Geography is an interdisciplinary area that investigates the relationship between health, space, and territory, contributing to understanding health inequalities and guiding public policies. This study carried out an integrative review with the objective of identifying theoretical, methodological and thematic approaches predominant in recent scientific production on Health Geography. We analyzed 18 articles published between 2014 and 2024, extracted from the CAPES Journal Portal, SciELO, LILACS, and VHL databases, selected according to specific criteria. The results were organized into four emerging categories: (1) social determinants of health, (2) spatial distribution of diseases, (3) public policies and health in the territory, and (4) environmental health and epidemiological surveillance. The studies highlighted the use of geospatial tools to map disease patterns, highlighting climatic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors associated with health. Gaps were also identified, such as the excessive centralization of public policies, which disregards local specificities, and the need for greater integration between critical methodologies and territorial approaches. It is concluded that Health Geography has advanced in the use of spatial analysis and technological tools, but still faces challenges in the integration of local knowledge and in the decentralization of public policies. This paper highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary and territorialized approach to address health inequalities and improve the planning of preventive and interventional actions.