Lynn Ibekwe, M.P.H., Ph.D. - Faculty Profile

Biography

Lynn N. Ibekwe, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor within the Advancing Implementation & Improvement Science program at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She holds a dual appointment within the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health and the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern. The overarching goal of Dr. Ibekwe’s research program is to reduce the disproportionate burden of cancer borne by minoritized populations in the US, with a special focus on Black populations. To this end, she 1) investigates the multilevel impacts of structural racism and other modifiable and unjust factors on health and health behavior across the cancer continuum; and 2) uses implementation science methods, through a health equity lens, to develop and test strategies designed to improve the implementation and scale-up of evidence-based cancer control interventions in community and clinical settings, particularly low-resource settings. Prior to joining UT Southwestern, Dr. Ibekwe served as a Research Associate within the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and completed a National Cancer Institute (NCI) T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Prevention at Harvard Chan. She received her PhD in Behavioral Sciences from the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, where she was an NCI T32 predoctoral fellow; an MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Boston University; and a BA in Medicine, Health, & Society as well as Sociology from Vanderbilt University.

Education

Graduate School: (2021)

Research Interest

Cancer Interventions
Health Behaviors Regarding Cancer
Health Equity
Implementation Science
Racial Equity
Structural Racism and Health Justice

Publications

Featured Publications

Associations between perceived racial discrimination, racial residential segregation, and cancer screening adherence among low-income African Americans: a multilevel, cross-sectional analysis.: Ibekwe LN, Fernández-Esquer ME, Pruitt SL, Ranjit N, Fernández ME, Ethn Health 2023 Apr 28 3 313-334
Evaluation of a 2-1-1 Telephone Navigation Program to Increase Cancer Control Behaviors: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial.: Fernandez ME, Savas LS, Atkinson JS, Ricks KB, Ibekwe LN, Jackson I, Castle PE, Jobe D, Vernon SW, Am J Health Promot 2022 Sep 36 7 1083-1093
Perceived Discrimination and Injury at Work: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Latino Day Laborers.: Ibekwe LN, Atkinson JS, Guerrero-Luera R, King YA, Rangel ML, Fernández-Esquer ME, J Immigr Minor Health 2022 Aug 24 4 987-995
Using Implementation Mapping to Develop Implementation Strategies for the Delivery of a Cancer Prevention and Control Phone Navigation Program: A Collaboration With 2-1-1.: Ibekwe LN, Walker TJ, Ebunlomo E, Ricks KB, Prasad S, Savas LS, Fernandez ME, Health Promot Pract 2022 Jan 23 1 86-97
Racism and Cancer Screening among Low-Income, African American Women: A Multilevel, Longitudinal Analysis of 2-1-1 Texas Callers.: Ibekwe LN, Fernández-Esquer ME, Pruitt SL, Ranjit N, Fernández ME, Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Oct 18 21
Structural Racism and Immigrant Health: Exploring the Association Between Wage Theft, Mental Health, and Injury among Latino Day Laborers.: Fernández-Esquer ME, Ibekwe LN, Guerrero-Luera R, King YA, Durand CP, Atkinson JS, Ethn Dis 2021 31 Suppl 1 345-356
Development of a Mapped Diabetes Community Program Guide for a Safety Net Population.: Zallman L, Ibekwe L, Thompson J, Ross-Degnan D, Oken E Diabetes Educ 2014 Apr

Honors & Awards

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship
NIH and AcademyHealth Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health (2023-2023)
Health Disparities Research Institute (HDRI) Scholar
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (2022-2022)
Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Award
National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (part of NIH/NCI R03CA256233-01, "Improving Mammography Completion and Follow-Up in Community Health Centers", as Lead Investigator) (2022-2024)
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Harvard Education Program in Cancer Prevention and Control
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health & Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (2021-2023)
Student and Early Career Investigator Scholarship
American Association for Cancer Research (2021-2021)
Dr. Oddis Calvin Turner Endowed Scholarship in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences Award
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health (2020-2020)
Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities (GMaP) Region 3 Registration/ Membership Award
University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (2019-2019)
Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities (GMaP) Region 3 Travel Award
University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (2019-2019)
Predoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Prevention and Control Research Training and Career Development Program
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health (2017-2021)
Competitive Merit Scholarship
Boston University School of Public Health (2011-2011)
Chancellor's Scholar
Vanderbilt University (2007-2007)
Community Scholarship Award
Trinity Foundation (2007-2011)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

African Student Union, Vanderbilt University (2009-2011)
Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society (2011-2024)
American Association for Cancer Research (2019-2024)
American Public Health Association (2013-2024)
Arkansas Association of Nigerians: Next Generation (2011-2016)
Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society (2021-2024)
Doctors for Change (2020-2024)
Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science (2022-2024)
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (2022-2024)
Public Health Alliance of Minorities, Boston University School of Public Health (2011-2013)
Society for the Analysis of African American Public Health Issues (2020-2024)
Society for Women and Leadership, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health (2020-2021)