Julie S. Armin

Dr. Julie S. Armin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, holding a tenure-track position. She also serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice in Health Promotion Sciences and as the Director of the Health Disparities Curriculum at the College of Medicine. As a medical anthropologist, Dr. Armin focuses on improving healthcare and reducing health disparities for historically underserved populations using qualitative, multi-method and community-based methodologies.

Education

• PhD in Anthropology (Sociocultural/Medical), University of Arizona, 2015
• MA in Anthropology, San Francisco State University, 2006

Dr. Armin's research program is broadly focused on addressing gaps in cancer prevention and treatment for populations that have been historically marginalized due to hierarchies of race and social class. She has examined how cancer care is affected by immigration status, social class, and gender. Her current work centers on the practices of advance care planning among English and Spanish-speaking people living with cancer and their providers, and access to cancer care for people with disabilities. She employs intersectionality frameworks to understand health disparities and utilizes community-based participatory research methods to develop culturally appropriate interventions.

Dr. Armin's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on health disparities, particularly in cancer care for marginalized populations including women with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Native American communities, and other historically underserved groups. Her work often examines barriers to cancer screening and treatment, with particular attention to structural factors that create vulnerability. She frequently collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop and test interventions aimed at improving access to care and health outcomes for these populations.

Scientific Awards

• University of Arizona Cancer Center Full Membership (Fall 2024)
• Building Research Capacity Fellowship ADFM (Fall 2023)

Dr. Armin serves as PI or Co-PI on several significant research projects, including "Improving Shared Decision-Making about Cancer Screening Among American Indian Women Experiencing Intellectual Disabilities" and "Improving Advance Care Planning through Better Care Coordination" funded by the American Academy of Family Physicians. She also serves as a Co-Investigator on projects such as "A Guided Imagery Tobacco Cessation Intervention Delivered by a Quitline and Website" and "Expanding Patient-Centered Cancer Care for Underserved Patients in Southern Arizona." Her teaching portfolio includes courses on health disparities, histories of health inequity, and disability perspectives.

Dr. Armin collaborates with research teams focused on cancer disparities, working with colleagues like Heather Williamson at Northern Arizona University through the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention. She also partners with researchers at the University of Arizona Cancer Center and community organizations serving Native American populations to develop culturally appropriate interventions and address health disparities.