Understanding Embodiment in Place-Health Research: Approaches, Limitations, and Opportunities

Abstract

Research on how place affects health continues to grow. Within the place-health research field, there is increasing focus on how place becomes embodied—i.e., how place-based social and environmental experiences and exposures “get under our skin” to affect physiological functioning and health. While much has been learned, currently favored place-embodiment research approaches present limitations that inhibit continued gains in understanding. This article presents a brief summary of place-health literature related to place-embodiment, highlighting common approaches. Core limitations are then discussed with an eye towards improving research going forward, highlighting mixed-method, spatially dynamic, and participatory intergenerational approaches as promising considerations.