PhD Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

Certificate in Maternal and Child Health, Department of Population & Family Sciences, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

MPH Community Health- Epidemiology, Saint Louis University School of Public Health, Saint Louis, MO

BS Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA

Biography

Kesha Baptiste-Roberts, PhD, MPH, is the Chair of the Department of Public and Allied Health and an Associate Professor at Morgan State University, School of Community Health and Policy.  She earned her MPH degree at Saint Louis University and completed a Maternal and Child Health Certificate, PhD and postdoctoral training in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Dr. Baptiste-Roberts authored or co-authored over 30 publications and is the co-editor of the book “Obesity in Pregnancy”.  Dr. Baptiste-Roberts has published research in MCH, women’s health, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and racial/ethnic health disparities. Her early work primarily focused on pregnancy-related factors and their influence on cardiometabolic outcomes for both mother and offspring along the life course.  Most recently, she has been working on improving maternal health for underserved communities utilizing telehealth and the doula model of care. She was the 2021 recipient of the Abraham Lilienfeld Award from the Epidemiology Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA), which recognizes excellence in teaching epidemiology over the course of a career. She has held leadership roles in the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Society of the Analysis of African American Public Health Issues (SAAPHI).  She is the PI of the Center for Maternal and Family Health at Morgan State University funded by HRSA Health Research Network (MH‐RN) for MSIs‐‐Research Awards.

Selected Publications

Bell, K., White, S., Diaz, A., Bahria, P., Sima, F., Al-Delaimy, W.K., dosReis, S., Hassan, O., Drabarek, D., Misha, M., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Gwiazdon, K., Raynes-Greenow, C., Taylor, R., Guadino, J.A., daSilveira Moreira, R., Jennings, B., Gulliver, P. (2024). Can evidence drive health equity in the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond?. J Public Health Pol . https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-023-00452-3

Uzoho, I. C., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Animasahun, A., & Bronner, Y. (2023). The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Against Women. International journal of social determinants of health and health services, 27551938231185968. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/27551938231185968

Ochapa, M., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Barrett, S. E., Animasahun, A., Bronner, Y. (2023). The role of doulas in providing breastfeeding support during the COVID-19 pandemic. International breastfeeding journal, 18(1), 23.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-023-00558-0

Arowolo, T., Animasahun, A., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Bronner Y. (2023). Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences on Child Health and Well-Being. Journ Child Adol Trauma. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-023-00517-1

Baptiste-Roberts, K., Werts, N., Coleman, K.M., Hossain, M. (2021). Religious beliefs, treatment seeking and treatment completion among persons with substance abuse problems. Addiction and Health, 13(1), 9-17 doi: org/10.22122/ahj.v13i1.293

Dorsey-Elson, L., Chavis, C., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Bista, K., Tannouri, A., Oni, A., Rockward, M., Allen-Milton, S., Kinyua, A., Pratt-Harris, N., Brunson, D.J., Efe, S. (2021). Teaching and learning as CANVAS Ambassadors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Faculty experiences at one Historically Black College and University. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 10 (1), 1-15

Baptiste-Roberts, K., & Leviton, A. (2020). Caffeine exposure during pregnancy: Is it safe?. Seminars in fetal & neonatal medicine, 25(6), 101174.

Baptiste-Roberts, K., Hossain, M. (2018). Socioeconomic disparities and self-reported substance abuse problems. Addiction and Health,10(2), 112-122

Baptiste-Roberts, K., Oranuba, E., Werts, N., & Edwards, L. V. (2017). Addressing Health Care Disparities Among Sexual Minorities. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am, 44(1), 71-80. doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2016.11.003

Baptiste-Roberts K., Bronner, Y., Nicholson, W.K. (2015). Adoption of a healthy lifestyle following gestational diabetes mellitus. Current Nutrition Reports, 4(3),259-264

Bicking Kinsey, C., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Zhu, J., & Kjerulff, K. H. (2015a). Effect of multiple previous miscarriages on health behaviors and health care utilization during subsequent pregnancy. Womens Health Issues, 25(2), 155-161. doi:10.1016/j.whi.2014.11.008

Bicking Kinsey, C., Baptiste-Roberts, K., Zhu, J., & Kjerulff, K. H. (2015b). Effect of previous miscarriage on depressive symptoms during subsequent pregnancy and postpartum in the first baby study. Matern Child Health J, 19(2), 391-400. doi:10.1007/s10995-014-1521-0