Skip to main content

Keon L. Gilbert, DrPH

Professor; Behavioral Science and Health Equity
College for Public Health and Social Justice

Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Institute for Healing Justice and Equity

Courses Taught

Introduction to Behavioral Science; Eliminating Health Disparities

Education

  • DrPH, Behavioral Communication Health Science, University of Pittsburgh
  • M.P.A., Public Affairs, Indiana University
  • M.A., African American Studies, Indiana University
  • B.A., Wabash College

Research Interests

Social capital; health disparities; African American men's health; health promotion and disease prevention interventions for chronic diseases.

Publications and Media Placements

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:

  • "We See the Dead and Don’t See the Living: The Realities of Black Men" - Culture of Health blog, August 2014
  • "Breaking the Silence on African-American Men’s Health" - Culture of Health blog, May 2013
  • "Fostering Cross-Sector Collaboration to Improve Well-Being by Involving African-American Men in the Health Care System" - New Connections grant winner

In the news:

  • "The Root Causes of Unhealthy Communities" by Keon Gibert and Keith Elder - AFRO, March 2015
  • "SLU assistant professor receives grant to identify policies that improve health of African-American men" - News Medical, May 2013

Research highlights:

  • Gilbert, K. L., Rashawn Ray, Siddiqi, A., Shetty, S., Keith Elder, Elizabeth Baker, & Griffith, D. M. (2016) Visible and Invisible Trends in African American Men’s Health: Pitfalls and Promises for Addressing Inequalities. Annual Review of Public Health, vol.37, 295-311.

  • Gilbert, K. L., & Ray, R. (2016) Why Police Kill Black Males with Impunity: Applying Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP) to Address the Determinants of Policing Behaviors and “Justifiable Homicides” in the U.S. Journal of Urban Health.

  • Ackermann, N., Goodman, M. S., Gilbert, K. L., Arroyo-Johnson, C., & Pagano, M. (2015). Race, law, and health: Examination of “Stand Your Ground” and defendant convictions in Florida. Social Science & Medicine, 142, 194–201. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.08.012 [I-2.89]

Find Keon Gilbert on ResearchGate

Honors and Awards

  • Saint Louis University Spirit of the Billiken Award Honored Mentor, 2015
  • Wabash College, Thomas Cole Lecture Honoree, 2009

Professional Organizations and Associations

  • David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Institution (2021)
  • City of St. Louis, Department of Health Board of Health and Hospitals, board member
  • Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Board of Trustees, Trustee for Membership and Leadership

Community Work and Service

  • City Garden Schools, Anti-bias/Anti-racism, board member
  • Faith Communities United, board member