Jessica L Cohen

Jessica L Cohen is a Professor of Health Economics at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, specializing in health policy, behavioral economics, and maternal-child health. She focuses on improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes through evidence-based policies, particularly in the U.S. and East Africa. Her research includes postpartum care coordination, prenatal care quality, and stillbirth prevention, supported by agencies like NIH and AHRQ. She leads the Bridges to Primary Care study to enhance postpartum chronic and mental health care. Dr. Cohen co-authored the behavioral economics chapter in Health Behavior: Theory, Research, and Practice and contributed to global health initiatives like the WHO Global Malaria Program's Technical Expert Group. She has won teaching awards and previously served as Director of Graduate Studies for Harvard's Health Policy PhD program.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Economics from Wesleyan University (2000)
• PhD in Economics from MIT (2008), with NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
• Global Health and Development training at the Brookings Institution (2009)

Research Interests:

Her work bridges economics and public health, emphasizing policy evaluation, implementation science, and behavioral interventions. Key areas include postpartum care coordination, healthcare cost disparities, digital health platforms for maternal care in Kenya, and malaria prevention strategies. She advocates for integrating behavioral insights into healthcare delivery to address systemic gaps, particularly in underserved populations.

Grants & Awards:

• Awards: Alice Hamilton Award (2024), Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award (National Academy of Medicine)
• Funders: NIH, USAID, AHRQ, National Academy of Medicine

Labs/Teams:

Leads research teams focused on maternal health policy, global health equity, and evidence-based interventions. Collaborates with WHO and NIH panels, and co-authors over 100 peer-reviewed articles in economics and public health journals.