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| Dr. Leandris Liburd (Image Source: CDC) |
Healthcare is a serious and essential aspect of people’s lives, but the reality is that not everyone has equal access to healthcare, let along quality healthcare. There are various reasons for this, which include individual but also systematic barriers. Medical anthropologists have been at the forefront of studying these factors, and one such medical anthropologist who has contributed a significant amount of time and research to this topic is Dr. Leandris Liburd, who is currently the Acting Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Office of Health Equity. This blog post is dedicated to addressing her outstanding contributions and continued efforts in addressing and resolving healthcare disparities that exist in the United States.
Dr. Leandris Liburd has dedicated her education and career efforts to understanding and resolving health care inequities for underserved communities. In 1980 she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Community Studies and Health from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. She immediately entered graduate school at the University of North Carolina, where she enrolled in their Master of Public Health program. She focused her work on health education/health behavior. This enabled her to work at both the local and state levels as both a health educator and public health researcher. In 1987 she joined the CDC. Since then she has worked in various positions with the CDC her work has already followed a consistent theme: addressing health care inequities among underserved populations. She has tackled these complex issues in various ways, from working in community health promotion, chronic disease prevent, research, and more.
She ultimately returned to graduate school in 2000. She first earned her Master’s in cultural anthropology and immediately followed that up with a PhD in medical anthropology, both from Emory University in Atlanta. From here she began to take on more leadership positions within the CDC, first serving as a Branch Chief (before completing her doctorate) and eventually moving into the position she currently serves: the Acting Director of the CDC’s Office of Health Equity. She earned this distinguished position through her hard work and previous experiences leading other areas of the CDC, again with the community health and health inequities perspectives at the forefront.
Her dedication to her research and work has been honored numerous times over the decades. She has received multiple awards from the CDC and top medical programs and institutions from across the nation. She was honored for her work in diabetes awareness and prevention, addressing healthcare inequities and disparities, distinguished service, and more.
She has no plans in stopping as she continues to do the work that must be done in providing greater and equitable access to healthcare across the United States. She is credited in leading the agency’s work concerning minority health, health equity, and women’s health, using data driven approaches and identifying the agency’s vision in addressing these issues to better the health outcomes for minorities across the nation. Additionally, it was her efforts that led to the expansion of programs to train the next generation of healthcare professionals as she was integral in the implementation and growth of two important CDC programs: Lewis Scholars Program (formerly the CDC Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program) and the James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Graduate Fellowship. Taken together, her work has been instrumental in drawing much needed attention to healthcare disparities, as well as finding solutions to closing those gaps. While they are not yet closed there are no doubts that her efforts will help lead to a successful conclusion in short order and over subsequent generations.
Bibliography
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, February 21). Office of Health Equity (OHE): Leandris Liburd, PhD, MPH, MA. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/about/leadership/leaders/ohe.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). About Dr. Liburd. Retrieved from Conversations in Equity, CDC: https://blogs.cdc.gov/healthequity/about-dr-liburd/
Emory University. (2022). Leandris Liburd, Adjunct Associate Professor. Retrieved from Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University: https://sph.emory.edu/faculty/profile/index.php?FID=leandris-liburd-8947
Liburd, L. (n.d.). Biographical Sketch. CDC Conference.
7 comments:
I am currently studying in the United States, but I am a Canadian Citizen. Being from Canada, everyone has access to healthcare. I did not realize the amount of difficulty in obtaining healthcare for various members of the American population. I became aware of this difficulty within just days of entering this country, and it is a very big issue. We need more people like Dr. Leandris Liburd to fight against these disparities.
Dr.Leandris Liburd brought to my eye that healthcare isn't the easiest thing to require but she also shows us that hard work pays off. Liburd really is working to show and provide the access of healthcare around the world. In my opinion, healthcare is important especially in today's world with all of these diseases and the severe health problems people face I feel like it is a need in everyone's life. Liburd sharing her perspectives and bringing her determination is need more and is much appreciated.
Dr. Leandris is a hero in disguise, who I wish I could thank personally. When I turned 18 I was kicked off a lot of youthful benefits, healthcare included. For two years I struggled being sick, even spraining my ankle at one point! All having to take care of it due to lack of healthcare. It brings my joy there are other loving souls, Dr. Leandris, who are willing to dedicate themselves and their lives for others empowerment. -Kennedi W.
Wow, it's incredible to learn about Dr. Leandris Liburd's dedication to addressing healthcare disparities in the United States. Her extensive education and career in public health demonstrate her commitment to improving access to quality healthcare for underserved communities. I admire her work in community health promotion, chronic disease prevention, and research. She's making a real difference in people's lives.
This article was a very interesting read for me. Being able to learn about the ways and the dedication that Dr. Leandris put into addressing the problems and desperate needs of healthcare. The way that she shows her commitment to improve the things in healthcare that need to change shows the passion that she has for the work that she does. The fact that she graduated from school and went back to get her Master's and then immediately went to go get her PhD just adds to her dedication to the change that she wants to make.
Dr. Leandris Liburd’s success exemplifies a deep dedication to tackling healthcare disparities through education, and research. Her journey from urban community studies to her role at the CDC highlights the multifaceted approach to dealing with systemic health inequities.
-Ahmesha Johnson
As the Acting Director of the CDC's Office of Health Equity, Dr. Liburd demonstrates her unwavering dedication to guaranteeing that everyone, regardless of background or socioeconomic level, has access to fair healthcare. This is an important project, especially in light of the ongoing inequities in the US healthcare system. Dr. Liburd offers a plethora of experience to her position from her work in research, community health promotion, and the prevention of chronic illnesses. She has the skills necessary to comprehend and solve the intricate variables causing healthcare inequalities thanks to her background in urban community studies and health education.
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