Yumary Ruiz

Courtesy Appointments

Department of Health & Kinesiology; Purdue College of Pharmacy

Areas of Expertise

• Risk and protective factors that impact the health of youth, families, and communities, population mobility, health disparities, Latinx health, positive youth development, intervention science, community health workforce, and qualitative methodologies

HHS Signature Research Area(s)

• Healthy Lifestyles and Vital Longevity
• Sustainable Organizations and Thriving Communities

Department of Public Health Research Area(s)

• Health Disparities
• Prevention Science
• Community-Engaged Research
• Intervention and Implementation Science

Biography

Dr. Yumary Ruiz’s community-based and engaged research focuses on reducing health disparities and identifying protective factors that enable vulnerable populations to overcome adversity, with an emphasis on youth. She leverages unique insights gained from quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how cognitive processes and social factors affect health. Her work has also identified health-promoting mechanisms that can be targeted to mitigate the harmful effects of socioeconomic and health disadvantages. Her research has been funded externally by the National Institute of Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Spencer Foundation, and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and internally by  Agricultural Science and Extension for Economic Development grants, Clifford Kinley Trust Awards, the Purdue Research Foundation, and the Center for Health Equity and Innovation.

Dr. Ruiz’s research focuses on the following areas:

• Understanding how population mobility, risk, and protective factors affect the health and well-being of Latinx with a particular emphasis on Latinx youth.
• Using community-engaged, and community-based participatory research (CBPR) practices to identify risk and promotive health factors among vulnerable youth, families, and communities.
• Development of interventions to reduce health disparities and empower communities (e.g. through Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce models)

Her research has been funded externally by the National Institute of Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Spencer Foundation, and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and internally by  Agricultural Science and Extension for Economic Development grants, Clifford Kinley Trust Awards, the Purdue Research Foundation, and the Center for Health Equity and Innovation. She has published in prominent journals, including the American Journal of Public Health, Pediatrics, Contraception, Global Public Health, Journal of Adolescence Research, Social Development, American Journal of Sexuality Education, and Children and Youth Services Review. She began her career as a public health practitioner, where she developed expertise in developing, implementing, and evaluating community-based initiatives to address childhood health and safety hazards in low-income, resource-poor neighborhoods.

Research Opportunities

Dr. Ruiz is currently accepting undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in working with her in her research lab for research credits. Please complete the research assistant application form here.

You can also email Dr. Ruiz at (ruiz46@purdue.edu) with any questions.

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 2006, Purdue University
• Master of Public Health (MPH), Community Health Education, 2000, San Jose State University
• Bachelor of Science (BS), Biology, 1996, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

Current Courses

• PUBH 492 (formally HK 496) - Mentoring Research in Public Health
• PUBH 320 (formally HK 366) - Health Behavior & Health Promotion
• PUBH 602 (formally HK 576) - Theoretical Foundations of Health Behavior
• PUBH 490 - Community Based Public Health Research
• PUBH 685 - Youth Health Disparities Research

Selected Grants

• Co-Principal Investigator. National Institute of Minority Health Disparities (NIMHD)/ Administrative Supplement to Recognize Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Mentorship / Mental and Physical Health in Children of Latino Migrant Farm Workers: A Multi-Level Longitudinal Examination of Risk and Resilience Factors [R01MD014187] Period: One (1) year (2022 – 2023) supplement. Total: $369,482.00
• Co-Principal Investigator. Indiana Department of Health (IDOH)/ COVID-19 Health Equity Council of Community Health Workers. Period: Three (3) years (07/01/2021 - 08/31/2024) Total: $427,425
• Co-Principal Investigator. National Institute of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)/ Mental and Physical Health in Children of Latino Migrant Farm Workers: A Multi-Level Longitudinal Examination of Risk and Resilience Factors Period: 09/23/2020 – 03/30/2025. Total: $3,138,472.00 (5 years)
• Co-Principal Investigator. Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI)/ Indiana Community Health Workforce Development Institute. Period: Two (2) years (10/01/2020 - 9/30/2022). Total: $5,000
• Co-Principal Investigator: lead project evaluator. United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture/ Indiana Children, Youth, Families at Risk Sustainable Community Project (CYFAR): Indiana JUNTOS Period: 10/2019-10/2024. Total: $640,000

Professional Affiliations

• American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA)
• Journal of Adolescent Research: Editorial Board Member
• Ad hoc Reviewer: American Journal of Public Health, Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, Youth & Society, Health Behavior Research, American Journal of Sexuality Education, International Journal of Population

In the News

• 40 ideas: Significantly expand community health workers in central Indiana. Indiana Business Journal. January 12, 2021.