Lisa Cooper is a distinguished physician, public health researcher, and advocate for health equity. She is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University, where she holds joint appointments in the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health. Dr. Cooper’s career has been dedicated to understanding and addressing health disparities, particularly those affecting racial and ethnic minorities.
Born in Liberia, Dr. Cooper moved to the United States, where she pursued her medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center and later earned a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Her personal experiences and observations of health inequities fueled her passion for this field.
Dr. Cooper’s research focuses on patient-physician communication, cultural competence, and the social determinants of health. She has developed and tested interventions to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for minority populations. Her work has been instrumental in highlighting the impact of implicit bias and systemic racism on health disparities.
In addition to her research, Dr. Cooper is the founder and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, which aims to eliminate disparities in health and healthcare through research, community engagement, and policy advocacy. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to public health, including election to the National Academy of Medicine.
Here are three online articles and videos that describe how Lisa Cooper has addressed health disparities in her career:
“Tackling ethnic health disparities: Lisa Cooper at TEDxBaltimore 2014.” This video features Dr. Cooper discussing her research and interventions to enhance patient-physician relationships and community engagement. (2014)
“426 – Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem?” This video is a podcast interview with Dr. Cooper discussing her journey and groundbreaking work on health disparities. (2022) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14CFKpcuNA
“The Doctor Won’t See You Now: Combatting Racism in Health Care.” This article highlights Dr. Cooper’s research on how racism and bias affect patient-doctor relationships and health outcomes. (2021)
