Mee Young Um
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Mail code: 3920Campus: Dtphx
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Dr. Mee Young Um is an assistant professor at the School of Social Work in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University. She is also a Faculty Research Affiliate at the SIRC Office of Refugee Health. Dr. Um serves as an Advisory Board member and grant writer/consultant for the Arizona Allnation Refugee Resource Center, a nonprofit, community-based organization supporting newly resettled refugees in Metro Phoenix. Additionally, she serves as an Editorial Board member for Social Work in Public Health.
Dr. Um's research focuses on addressing health disparities by examining the social and cultural determinants of behavioral health among transnational populations, including refugees, immigrants, and historically marginalized racial and ethnic communities. She applies systems science methods, such as social network analysis and artificial intelligence analytics, to inform the development of evidence-based interventions that enhance social integration, behavioral health, and overall well-being in marginalized populations.
Using a community-based participatory research approach, Dr. Um actively collaborates with community members to ensure her research is culturally relevant and directly benefits the populations she studies. Recently, she partnered with ethnic-based community organizations representing six refugee subgroups in Arizona—Bhutanese, Burmese, Congolese, Iraqi, Somali, and Syrian—to examine mental health challenges and investigate how refugees' personal social networks can be leveraged to improve their well-being.
- Ph.D. Social Work, University of Southern California
- M.S.W. Social Work, University of Michigan
- M.I.S. International Studies, Ewha Womans University, Korea
- B.S. Physics, Ewha Womans University, Korea
Academic Research Affiliations
Faculty Research Affiliate, Office of Refugee Health, Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, ASU
Faculty Research Affiliate, Immigrant and Refugee Research Institute, University at Buffalo
Faculty Research Affiliate, Initiative on Social Work and Forced Migration, Brown School at Washington University
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
+Corresponding author (equal contribution as first author); *ASU student mentee
Maleku, A., Kim, Y. K., Chun, J., Um, M. Y., Canfield, J. P., David, I. J., Moon, S. S., & Yu, M. (2024). Constellations of depressive symptoms, substance use, and risky sexual behavior among higher education students: A moderated mediation analysis of mask-wearing practice during COVID-19. Journal of Prevention. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-024-00815-w
Androff, D., Schlinkert, D., Um, M. Y., Hatch, E.,* Olsen-Medina, K., & Mathis, C. (2024). Refugees’ experiences accessing and receiving health care in the Southwestern U.S. Social Work in Public Health, 40(2), 45-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2024.2434272
Um, M. Y., Kim, H. J., & Kim, H. J. (2024). Patterns of trauma exposure and depression in North Korean refugees resettled in South Korea: A latent class analysis. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241291491
Lim, C., Um, M. Y., Schott, E., Arkadie, N., Hernandez, M., & Barrio, C. (2024). Treatment outcomes for Asian Americans diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Community Mental Health Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-024-01340-0
Moon, S. S., Zhao, Q., Pooler, D., Kim, Y. K., Maleku, A., Um, M. Y., Yu, M., & Anderson, L. (2024). Marijuana use among college students after the COVID-19 pandemic: A classification and regression tree approach. Journal of Addiction and Addictive Disorders, 11:172. https://doi.org/10.24966/AAD-7276/100172
Moon, S. S., Um, M. Y., Kim, Y. K., Yu, M., Maleku, A., & Anderson, L. (2024). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide-related risk among college students: A cross-sectional analysis. Death Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2024.2386068
Um, M. Y., Manikonda, L., Eapen, D. J., Ferguson, K. M., Santa Maria, D. M., Narendorf, S. C., Petering, R., Barman-Adhikari, A., & Hsu, H. T. (2024). Predicting intimate partner violence perpetration among youth experiencing homelessness in seven U.S. cities using interpretable machine learning. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/088626052412635
Um, M. Y., Maleku, A., Haran, H., Kim, Y. K., Yu, M., & Moon, S. S. (2024). Mask wearing and self-harming thoughts among international students in the United States during COVID-19: The moderating role of discrimination. Journal of American College Health, 72(7), 2104-2110. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2103378
Um, M. Y., Hatch, E.,* Maleku, A., & Arroyo Portillo, M.* (2023). Can technology break the invisible wall? Exploring mobile application needs and preferences among North Korean refugees in South Korea. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 32(3), 401–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/01171968231211348
Kim, Y. K., Yu, M., Moon, S. S., Maleku, A., Um, M. Y., & Tefera, G. M. (2022). Sociodemographic characteristics, preventive behaviors, and the mental health status of Social Work Students in the US during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social Work in Mental Health, 20(5), 578–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2022.2047870
Um, M. Y., Rice, E., Lee, J. O., Kim, H. J., & Palinkas, L. A. (2022). Suicidal ideation among North Korean refugees in South Korea: Exploring the influence of social network characteristics by gender. Transcultural Psychiatry, 59(1), 52–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461520935314
Maleku, A., Kim, Y. K., Kirsch, J., Um, M. Y., Haran, H., Yu, M., & Moon, S. S. (2022). The hidden minority: Discrimination and mental health among international students in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(5), e2419–e2432. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13683
Kim, Y. K., Moon, S. S., Yu, M., Um, M. Y., Maleku, A., Kehinde, O., & Pooler, D. (2022). The perfect storm? COVID-19 and substance use among social work students in the United States. British Journal of Social Work, 52(5), 2854–2874. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab192
Um, M. Y., Maleku, A., Rios-Richardson, R.,* & Rice, E. (2021). A multidimensional examination of psychological distress among Latina mothers with and without HIV. Social Work in Public Health, 36(7-8), 806–819. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2021.1958117
Maleku, A., Phillips, R., Um, M.Y., Kagotho, N., Lee, G., & Coxe, K. (2021). The phenomenon of spiritual homelessness in transnational spaces among international students in the United States. Population, Space and Place, 28(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2470
Oh, H., Um, M. Y., & Garbe, R. (2021). Social networks and chronic illness management among low-income tenants in publicly subsidized housing: Findings from a pilot study. Social Work in Public Health, 36(3), 405–418. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2021.1900012
Um, M. Y., Lee, J. O., Kim, H. J., Rice, E., & Palinkas, L. A. (2021). Testing the pathway from pre-migration sexual violence to suicide-related risk among North Korean refugee women living in South Korea: Do social networks matter? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 56(3), 485–495. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01977-8
Jeong, C. H., Um, M. Y.,+ Yoo, J. P., & Palinkas L. A. (2020). Social networks and health-promoting behaviors among North Korean refugees in South Korea. Social Work in Health Care, 59, 738–750. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2020.1859043
Um, M. Y., Rice, E., Palinkas, L. A., & Kim, H. J. (2020). Migration-related stressors and suicidal ideation of North Korean refugee women: Moderating effects of network composition. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 33(6), 939–949. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22549
Palinkas, L. A., Um, M. Y., Aarons, G. A., Rafful, C., Chavarin, C. V., Mendoza, D. V., … Patterson, T. L. (2019). Implementing evidence-based HIV prevention for female sex workers in Mexico: Provider assessments of feasibility and acceptability. Global Social Welfare, 6, 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-018-0113-0
Um, M. Y., Kim, H. J., & Palinkas, L. A. (2018). Correlates of domestic violence victimization among North Korean refugee women in South Korea. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33(13), 2037–2058. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515622297
Palinkas, L. A., Um, M. Y., Jeong, C. H., Chor, K. H. B., Olin, S., Horwitz, S. M., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2017). Adoption of innovative and evidence-based practices for children and adolescents in state-supported mental health clinics: A qualitative study. Health Research Policy and Systems, 15, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-017-0190-z
Um, M. Y., Rice, E., Rhoades, H., Winetrobe, H., & Bracken, N. (2016). Influence of “traveling” youth and substance use behaviors in the social networks of homeless youth. Network Science, 4, 28–47. https://doi.org/10.1017/nws.2015.32
Um, M. Y., Chi, I., Kim, H. J., Palinkas, L. A., & Kim, J. Y. (2015). Correlates of depressive symptoms among North Korean refugees adapting to South Korean society: The moderating role of perceived discrimination. Social Science & Medicine, 131, 107–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.02.039
Palinkas, L. A., Chavarin, C. V., Rafful, C. M., Um, M. Y., Mendoza, D. V., Staines, H., … Patterson, T. L. (2015). Sustainability of evidence-based practices for HIV prevention among female sex workers in Mexico. PLOS One, 10, e0141508. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141508
Palinkas, L. A., Olin, S., Chor, B., Um, M. Y., Jeong, C. H., O’Connor, B., … Hoagwood, K. (2015). Influence of organizational role, consensus and innovation status on perceived facilitators and barriers to adoption of innovative and evidence-based practices in state-supported mental health clinics. Implementation Science, 10, A41. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-10-S1-A41
Peer Reviewed Conference Publications
Manikonda, L., Um, M. Y., & Fan, R. (2022). Shift of user attitudes about anti-Asian hate on Reddit before and during COVID-19. 14th Association for Computing Machinery Conference on Web Science in 2022, 364–369. https://doi.org/10.1145/3501247.3531569
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWU 303 | Micro Human Behav Social Envir |
SWU 303 | Micro Human Behav Social Envir |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWU 493 | Honors Thesis |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWU 303 | Micro Human Behav Social Envir |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWG 619 | Practice-Oriented Research |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
SWG 519 | Research Methods/Social Work |
(Since joining ASU)
Fall 2023: Award for Distinguished Instruction, ASU School of Social Work
Spring 2022: Anne Larason Schneider Community Research Award, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, ASU
Fall 2021: Award for Distinguished Instruction, ASU School of Social Work
Jan 2025–present: Member, Editorial Board, Social Work in Public Health
Jun 2024–present: Advisory Board member, Arizona Allnation Refugee Resource Center
Jun 2022–present: Community Grant Writer/Consultant, Arizona Allnation Refugee Resource Center
Jun 2021–present: Advisor, Aurora NK (student-run international organization supporting North Korean refugees)