title: Healthy Spaces in Meaningful Places: The Rural Church and Women's Health Promotion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The influence of place on health is beginning to be addressed in health research. Current understanding of rural places, however, remains in a state of disequilibrium, balancing between geographic and sociocultural positions. This article illuminates the significance of place for rural women's experiences of health promotion in the rural church.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a novel approach to interpretive phenomenological methodology by including the photovoice method to elicit both individual and shared experiential meanings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two participants took pictures, wrote in logbooks, and participated in individual and group interviews to share their experiences of health promotion in the rural church.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The church as a place was realized through three broad discourses: (a) an intersection of physical and geographic environments, (b) a gateway to experiential attachment and personal meaning, and (c) a connection to shared culture and beliefs. It is also suggested that place may best be interpreted with an experiential lens as it exhibits lived and felt spaces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data analysis suggests that place consists of both physical and experiential realities, in addition to being a resource of culture and meaning. Implications for rural women's health promotion include fostering a deeper recognition of place-shaped experiences of health.
authors.affiliation: Western University rplunket@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Plunkett
authors.affiliation: Western University.
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leipert
authors.affiliation: Western University.
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta.
authors.forename: Joanne K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012067:Religion; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: health promotion; holistic health; women’s health