Her research interests are in the area of health disparities among racial, ethnic and migrant populations with an emphasis on Latino youth and their families. Her research program explores the role of population mobility on health, specifically how migration influences decision-making related to risk and protective behaviors. Her projects also seek to investigate how social and individual factors influence well-being. The overarching goal of Dr. Ruiz's program of research is to develop innovative mechanisms for the delivery of empirically based targeted interventions designed to reduce health disparities among vulnerable underserved populations.