Olivia Carter-Pokras, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland School of Public Health. Dr. Carter-Pokras has conducted health disparities research in the Federal government (21+ years) and academia (6+ years). Her research has mainly focused on the intersection of epidemiology and health policy to address Latino health and children's environmental health.

Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Maryland College Park, Dr. Carter-Pokras was an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine where she currently serves as adjunct faculty. The previous Director of the Division of Policy and Data, Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dr. Carter-Pokras has been recognized by the Surgeon General, Assistant Secretary for Health and Latino Caucus of the American Public Health Association for her career achievements to improve racial and ethnic data and develop national health policy.

Dr. Carter-Pokras is the Principal Investigator for a NHLBI cultural competency and health disparities academic award, a state tobacco disparities evaluation contract, and a community based participatory research grant from NICHD on oral health of Latino and Ethiopian children and their mothers. She conducts health assessments of Latinos in Baltimore and Montgomery County in close partnership with local government and community based organizations. Dr. Carter-Pokras is a member of the Board of Directors for the American College of Epidemiology, and the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association.

Courses:
EPIB 611 Intermediate Epidemiology (Fall 2007)
EPIB 612 Epidemiologic Study Design (Fall 2007)
EPIB 620 Chronic Disease Epidemiology (Spring 2009)
EPIB 623 Epidemiology of Health Disparities (Spring 2008, Spring 2009)

Links:

For more information about health disparities
• What is a health disparity?
http://www.publichealthreports.org/userfiles/117_5/117426.pdf

• How to measure health disparities?
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_02/sr02_141.pdf
• Institute of Medicine Unequal Treatment report
http://www.iom.edu/?id=16740

• Special journal issue on health care disparities
http://www.ajmc.com/ViewIssue.cfm?Menu=1&ID=1977

For more information about providing linguistically appropriate services
http://www.ajmc.com/files/articlefiles/A100_04sepCarterPokSP29_36.pdf

For more information about health disparities in Maryland
• Maryland Plan to Eliminate Minority Health Disparities
http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/hd/planelimdisp.html
For more information about Latinos in Maryland
• Latino Providers Network (Baltimore)
http://www.latinoprovidersnetwork.org/
• Montgomery County Government Latino Health Initiative
http://www.lhiinfo.org/english/about.htm