Kathryn Luchok

Kathryn Luchok is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and a faculty affiliate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Carolina’s College of Arts and Sciences. Her interdisciplinary work bridges medical anthropology and public health, focusing on reproductive health, maternal-child outcomes, and health equity.

• PhD in Health Education and Behavior (UNC Chapel Hill)
• MA in Anthropology (UNC Chapel Hill)
• BA in Sociology and Anthropology (West Virginia University)

Her research integrates sociocultural analysis of health disparities, with fieldwork in the U.S., Togo, Nigeria, and Nepal. Key areas include:

• Medical anthropology applications to reproductive justice
• Mixed-methods analysis of maternal stress and birth outcomes
• Community-engaged interventions for cervical cancer prevention
• Workshop design for reproductive literacy in vulnerable populations

Recent publications emphasize trust in maternity care, HPV awareness in Africa, and structural determinants of health. Awards highlight her mentorship and teaching excellence, including the Kentucky Colonel distinction and multiple nominations for university teaching honors. Active in community advisory roles, she addresses issues from birth equity to adolescent health literacy.