Ivette A. López, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Ivette Amelia López, PhD, MPH is a Professor of Public Health at University of Utah Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. She is also the Director of the Utah Area Health Education Centers. Dr. López was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, and came to the United States mainland to pursue an advanced education. She is, and has been for over two decades, a dedicated professional in pursuit of health equity for Latinos and other disadvantaged populations in the United States. From AIDS (the epidemic that drew her to public health) to diabetes, obesity causal explanations among minority women, to Latina breast cancer survivorship, her research and service are dedicated to engage minority communities in finding solutions to their health burdens.

She resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and daughter.

Research Statement

My work and research have focused on addressing diverse health inequity problems, principally: Type 2 diabetes, physical activity, obesity, heart disease, sexually transmitted infections, breast cancer, food environment, Alzheimer’s disease, and environmental contexts of health.

Research interests include: Latino health, Latina and African American women’s health, community-based mixed research and pedagogy, cultural humility, health literacy, and racial and ethnic disparities in higher education and health academic faculty/administration.