Choeeta Chakrabarti

Dr. Choeeta Chakrabarti is a Medical Anthropologist specializing in the intersection of health, culture, and social inequality, with a focus on the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). She holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Florida (2018), an MA in Sociology from the University of Hyderabad (2009), and a BS in Biotechnology from Osmania University (2009). Dr. Chakrabarti’s research employs mixed-methods approaches to uncover how cultural and structural factors drive health disparities, revealing the hidden impacts of social inequities on health outcomes at local, national, and global levels.

Her work delves into the sociocultural factors shaping beliefs and attitudes toward illness and disease. Throughout her career, Dr. Chakrabarti has led and collaborated on projects addressing critical issues such as cervical cancer disparities, disaster resilience, and health behaviors during pandemics. As an applied anthropologist, she is a key member of the Florida Health Leadership Academy, which uses a Community-Based Participatory Approach (CBPR) to guide public health initiatives and train community health leaders.

Dr. Chakrabarti’s current research focuses on Dalit manual scavengers in India, examining the health outcomes of this caste-based occupation, including the rising rates of alcoholism as a coping mechanism. She is pioneering the use of biomarkers in India to study the impact of discrimination on health, offering a contextually unique biocultural perspective. Her upcoming project will explore maternal health disparities, specifically examining issues surrounding obstetric mistreatment and maternal mortality in a cross-cultural, global context.

Relating to her wider interest in the intersection of ideology and social inequality, Dr. Chakrabarti also investigates the spread of extreme ideologies, focusing on how social networks influence the recruitment and adoption of radical beliefs. As an educator and mentor, she integrates her research into her teaching, fostering a collaborative and hands-on learning environment for students. Her commitment to health equity and culturally informed policy-making drives her efforts to train the next generation of anthropologists to address real-world health challenges through a culturally sensitive lens.