Lawrence P.O. Were
Principal Healthcare Policy & Strategy

Lawrence P.O. Were

PhD

Lawrence P.O. Were is a Principal at Lepton Actuarial & Consulting, LLC and Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Boston University’s College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College), with a joint appointment in Global Health at the BU School of Public Health. He is the Director of the Global Health Systems R.I.S.E Lab. His research focuses on the application of health economics to estimate the impact of healthcare system and insurance program reforms on marginalized and high-risk populations — informal traders, HIV+ individuals, pregnant women and their children, and people with mental health challenges. His active research projects span Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe.

Education
  • PhD, Health Services Research (Health Economics track) — Brown University, School of Public Health
  • MS — Clark University
  • BA — United States International University–Africa (USIU)
Affiliations
  • Principal Healthcare Policy & Strategy — Lepton Actuarial & Consulting, LLC
  • Assistant Professor, Boston University (Sargent College & SPH)
  • Director, Global Health Systems R.I.S.E Lab
  • AcademyHealth
Areas of Expertise
Health system reform & insurance impact evaluation Health equity & disparities research Global Health & HIV/AIDS financing Geo-spatial public health Comparative health systems Causal inference (difference-in-differences, natural experiments)
Publications

Selected peer-reviewed work.

  1. 01
    Do Targeted Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Improve Health Outcomes? Evidence from Kenyan Decentralization
    Thapa, B. B., Rahman, M., Were, L., Wamai, R., & Galárraga, O.
    Health Research Policy and Systems, 22(1): 172 · 2024
  2. 02
    Interpersonal Violence Against Women and Maternity Care in Migori County, Kenya
    Schellhammer, S. K., Starnes, J. R., Mudhune, S., et al.
    Frontiers in Global Women's Health, 5: 1345153 · 2024
  3. 03
    Health System Lessons from the Global Fund-Supported Procurement and Supply Chain Investments in Zimbabwe
    Lesego, A., Were, L. P. O., Tsegaye, T., et al.
    Mixed-methods study · 2024
  4. 04
    Assessment of the Global Fund-Supported Procurement and Supply Chain Reforms at the Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency
    Lesego, A., Tsegaye, T., Were, L. P. O., et al.
    Mixed-methods study · 2023
  5. 05
    Prevalence and Determinants of Contraception Utilization Over Time in Migori County, Kenya
    Li, A., Starnes, J., Omondi, A., Were, V., Vill, B., Were, L., et al.
    African Journal of Reproductive Health, 27(6): 17–26 · 2023
  6. 06
    "Health Insurance Deserts" & Disparities in Healthcare Coverage in Kenya: A Spatiotemporal Analysis
    Were, L.
    Working paper · 2023
Selected Talks

Conference presentations.

  • 2023
    The Kenyan Healthcare System: Historical Policy Dispensation & Contemporary Reforms
    Yale University Comparative Healthcare Systems Seminar · New Haven, CT
  • 2023
    Do Targeted Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Improve Health Outcomes?
    International Health Economics Association (IHEA) World Congress · Cape Town, South Africa

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