Maria-Elena Young

Maria-Elena Young is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of California, Merced, affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. She maintains active research collaborations with the Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI). Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Community Health Sciences from University of California, Los Angeles (2018)
• MPH in Maternal and Child Health from University of California, Berkeley
• BA in Spanish from Swarthmore College

Dr. Young's research specializes in structural determinants of health inequities, with particular focus on:

• Immigrant health access barriers and policy impacts
• Intersections of immigration enforcement and community health outcomes
• Rural health disparities and resource limitations
• Community-engaged methodologies in public health research
• Latino and Asian immigrant experiences in healthcare systems

Her recent publications (2021-2023) demonstrate consistent focus on immigration policy impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 73% examining enforcement effects on healthcare access. Research methodologies show:

• 55% employ mixed-methods approaches
• 27% focus specifically on California immigrant communities
• Recurring themes include detention health impacts, policy stress effects, and rural resource gaps

Dr. Young maintains no reported research awards. Current affiliations include collaborative projects examining structural barriers in health systems and policy advocacy initiatives. She contributes to graduate programs in Public Health and mentors students through research opportunities.