Publications

In pressYoo, N., & Gill, M.Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities DOI

In pressClosing the Urban-Rural Gap in Access to Racially and Ethnically Focused Mental Health Providers: The Role of Telehealth and Interstate Licensing CompactsYoo, N., & Weaver, A.American Journal of Public Health DOI

In pressProof of Citizenship at the Point of Care: Documentation Requests and Forgone Care among California Immigrants, 2019–2022Yoo, N.Health Services Research DOI

In pressHow Bridging and Bonding Social Capital Shapes Performance Expectancy of Digital Transformation among Immigrants and NativesYoo, N., & Jang, S.H.International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction DOI

In pressNot All Language Models Are Generative: A Methods Primer on Encoder Models in Social Work ResearchPerron, B., Stoll, D., Qi, Z., Yoo, N., & Ren, C.Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research

In pressProvider Experiences and Preferences for Integrating an Evidence-Based Mobile Health Application in Methadone Maintenance Treatment: A Mixed-Methods StudyO’Kelly, B., Sohail, P., Yoo, N., Zimmerman, H., Miller, P., Konova, A., Murphy, S., Glimcher, P., & Tofighi, B.Drug and Alcohol Review DOI

In pressYoo, N., Saba, S., & Goldkind, L.Journal of Social Work Education

In pressYoo, N., Ritchie, A., & Gwadz, M.Journal of Social Work Education

2026The Role of Queer People of Colour Identity Affirmation on Psychological Flexibility amid Everyday Discrimination among Black Sexual and Gender Minority AdultsKeene, L., Maglalang, D. D., Yoo, N., & Ramos Deulofeutt, S.Psychology & Sexuality DOI

2026Yoo, N., Lee, J., & Jang, S.H.Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies DOI

2026Yoo, N., Kim, D., Jang, S. H., & Fong, E.International Migration Review DOI

2026Yoo, N., Khor, A., Mukhija, N., Adebiyi, A., & Zilka, M.Proceedings of the Workshop on Evaluating Evaluations (EvalEval) DOI

2026Maglalang, D.D., Yoo, N., Park, M., Nicholson, H. L. Jr., de Leon, C., Okazaki, S., Chang, D.F.Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities DOI

2026Youm, S., Yoo, N., Jang, S.H., & Dorr, B.Digital Minds Workshop at ICWSM 2026 DOI

2026Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H.Computers in Human Behavior Reports DOI

2026Yoo, N., Rodwin, A., Park, M., Youm, S. & Jang, S. H.JMIR Infodemiology DOIThe global rise of K-pop, particularly the influence of BTS-a South Korean boy band with over 90 million international fans known as ARMY-has shaped youth culture and online communities. Music fandoms are increasingly engaging digital platforms like YouTube not only for entertainment but also as spaces for emotional expression and mutual support. Despite growing interest in the mental health potential of music-based coping strategies, limited research has examined how fandom cultures differentially express emotional needs and supportive interactions online. This study investigates specific mental health language patterns and coping mechanisms expressed by BTS fans in online spaces, examining how different linguistic features (including self-referential language and emotional expression patterns) may reflect psychological states and mental health needs. We utilize YouTube comments of fan-curated "sad" playlists of BTS. We further included YouTube comments from a Taylor Swift "sad" playlist as a reference group. The analysis aims to identify linguistic and emotional expression patterns in BTS fan comments and examine the potential mental health implications of music engagement in digital communities. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), we analyzed a total of 13,224 YouTube comments-11,772 comments on a BTS "sad playlist" video and 1,452 comments on a Taylor Swift equivalent. Statistical comparisons were conducted to evaluate differences in comment length, word count, pronoun use, and emotional valence. Representative comments were examined to contextualize the emotion classification results. BTS comments were significantly longer (M = 253.38 words) and had higher word counts (M = 38.93) compared to Taylor Swift comments (M = 89.84 words, M = 16.08), p < .001. BTS fans used more first-person singular pronouns (10.24% vs. 7.43%) and expressed greater sadness (19.8% vs. 7.0%). In contrast, Taylor Swift fans exhibited higher admiration (8.0% vs. 5.0%). Among reply comments, BTS fans demonstrated more caring (7.5% vs. 2.0%), gratitude (9.1% vs. 4.2%), and optimism (5.0% vs. 1.7%). Linguistic analysis also revealed a broader international user base for BTS, including higher proportions of Spanish (6.11%) and Portuguese (1.89%) comments. Examination of comment content showed that fans used these spaces to disclose personal struggles, express gratitude for the community, and offer peer support, with many describing the fandom as a safe space for emotional expression they could not access elsewhere. The findings underscore the significant role that music and fan communities-particularly BTS fandom-play in fostering emotional expression, mutual care, and informal mental health support online. These results suggest implications for culturally responsive, community-based, and digitally mediated mental health interventions among youth and global populations.

2026Yoo, N., Kang, M., Kim, E., Lee, S. Y., Woo, J., & Kim, S. Y.Journal of Religion and Health DOIAbstract Asian Americans underutilize mental health services, with particularly low rates among Korean American (KA) immigrants. Churches serve as central sources of support in this community, positioning clergy as critical mental health gatekeepers. Yet little is known about the factors shaping KA church leaders’ readiness, perceptions, and referral behaviors. This study analyzed survey data from 93 KA church leaders across the USA to explore factors associated with readiness (comfort addressing mental health), perceptions of issues and barriers, and the action of recommending professional counseling. Using multiple regressions, we found that prior mental health training was the only significant predictor of leader readiness, with trained leaders nearly three times more likely to report higher comfort levels (OR = 2.97, p < 0.05). Perceptions of church needs varied by ministry context and personal experience: Leaders with mental health training were over six times more likely to recognize depression and suicide as key concerns (OR = 6.71, p < 0.01) and more than twice as likely to identify marriage conflict (OR = 3.11, p < 0.05). In contrast, leaders who had personally received counseling were significantly less likely to report depression and suicide as a congregational issue (OR = 0.23, p < 0.05). In the integrative model, referral behavior was shaped primarily by ministry context and stigma awareness. Leaders in Korean-speaking ministries were significantly less likely to recommend counseling (OR = 0.02, p < 0.05), while those who identified stigma as a major issue were substantially more likely to make referrals (OR = 9.50, p < 0.05). These findings highlight the central role of training, bicultural ministry contexts, and stigma recognition in shaping church leaders’ engagement with mental health. The study underscores the need for culturally adapted training programs and closer collaboration between mental health professionals and immigrant churches to address persistent disparities in KA communities.

2026Yoo, N., Kang, M., Lee, S. Y., Na, J. Y., Woo, J., & Kim, S. Y.Pastoral Psychology DOI

2026Na, S., Solomon, P., & Yoo, N.Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities DOI

2026Mannan, N., Monir, A., Mishra, S., Li, S., Yoo, N., & Ahmed, N.Journal of Community Health DOI

2026Park, M., Jeong, E., Yoo, N., Choi, Y., Cabassa, L. J., Yasui, M., & Takeuchi, D.American Journal of Community Psychology DOI

2026Baslock, D. & Yoo, N.The Milbank Quarterly DOIPolicy Points Single indicators such as rural population percentage can misrepresent a state's rural character, leading to flawed policy comparisons and resource allocation. This study introduces a multidimensional rurality index that combines population share, land area, and population density to create a more comprehensive ranking of US states. Policymakers and researchers can use this index to better identify and compare states with similar rural profiles (e.g., Mountain West vs. Northeast), enabling more targeted and effective rural health policies and research. Context Inadequate descriptions of rurality limit comparisons across rural areas and can lead to overgeneralizations in health policy research. Single indicators of state‐level rurality, such as rural population percentage or population density, are often used in isolation and fail to capture the multidimensional nature of rural character, obscuring important differences among states. A more holistic measure is needed to inform research on health care access, quality, and health disparities. Methods This study developed a composite state‐level rurality index for the 50 US states for three indicators: rural population percentage, rural land area percentage, and rural population density. We used Borda count and dominance count ranking methods to integrate these indicators into a final ranking. Principal component analysis (PCA) was then used to visualize the data and identify states with similar profiles. Findings Mountain West states, including Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming, ranked highest in multidimensional rurality. States traditionally considered highly rural based on a single indicator, such as Vermont and Maine (owing to high rural population share), exhibited rural profiles more similar to states such as Mississippi and Arkansas. The PCA visually distinguished between states with land‐based rurality (e.g., vast, sparsely populated areas) and those with population‐based rurality (e.g., high proportion of residents in rural towns). Conclusions This multidimensional index provides a tool for health policy research, facilitating more targeted and meaningful comparisons among rural states. It can help guide the study of health care infrastructure, workforce challenges, and health equity by moving beyond less nuanced classifications and highlighting the diverse forms of rurality across the United States.

2026Nicholson, H., Yoo, N., Okazaki, S., Chang, D.F., & Craig, M.Social Problems DOI

2026Chang, D.F., Doucet, F., Whitney, J., Miao, I.Y., Yoo, N., Zwerger, N., Kaplan, J., Antoine, C., & Romano, L.Mindfulness DOI

2025Yoo, N., Park, M., & Chang, D.F.Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research DOI

2025Yoo, N., Hong, Y., & Choi, Y.Telemedicine Reports DOIBackground: This study examined disparities in telehealth utilization across various health care services among adults in California, with particular focus on racial, ethnic, and linguistic differences. While telehealth has emerged as a potential tool for addressing health care disparities, evidence suggests that utilization patterns may exacerbate existing inequities. Methods: Using the 2021–2022 California Health Interview Survey (n = 45,893) conducted in diverse languages, we employed descriptive statistics and nonlinear Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition to analyze disparities in telehealth utilization. The Blinder–Oaxaca method systematically partitions outcome differences between groups into explained components and unexplained components. We stratified analyses by visit purpose: mental health, primary care, acute care, chronic care, orthopedics, dermatology, and ophthalmology. Results: Compared with non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans used telehealth 4.1% more ( p < 0.01), whereas Hispanics/Latinos and Asians used it 5.9% ( p < 0.01) and 11.3% ( p < 0.01) less, respectively. For Hispanics/Latinos, approximately 14% of the disparity remained unexplained by measured covariates, while for Asians, 92% was unexplained ( p < 0.01). Individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) were 9.6% ( p < 0.01) less likely to use telehealth overall, with 38% of this gap unexplained by measured factors ( p < 0.01). The disparity was most pronounced in mental health services, where LEP individuals utilized telehealth 4.9% points less than non-LEP individuals ( p < 0.01), with this gap entirely unexplained by sociodemographic factors. Subgroup analysis revealed telehealth utilization disparities between LEP and non-LEP individuals across all language groups, with LEP Spanish speakers using telehealth 4.3% points less than non-LEP Spanish speakers ( p < 0.01), LEP Asian language speakers using it 7.3% points less than non-LEP Asian language speakers ( p < 0.01), and LEP speakers of other languages using it 7.3% points less than their non-LEP counterparts ( p < 0.01). Discussion: Our findings reveal significant disparities in telehealth utilization associated with race/ethnicity and English proficiency levels, with linguistic barriers most evident in mental health services. The substantial unexplained components in our decomposition analyses suggest that cultural, structural, and linguistic factors beyond socioeconomic factors significantly influence telehealth utilization. These results underscore the need for efforts to develop linguistically appropriate telehealth services, particularly in mental health care. Addressing these barriers is crucial for harnessing telehealth’s potential to promote health equity rather than exacerbating existing health disparities in an increasingly digital health care environment.

2025Yoo, N. & Jang, S.H.Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse DOI

2024Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H.Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking DOI

2024Stanhope, V., Yoo, N., Matthews, E., Baslock, D., & Hu, Y.JMIR Medical Informatics DOIAbstract Background Collaborative documentation (CD) is a behavioral health practice involving shared writing of clinic visit notes by providers and consumers. Despite widespread dissemination of CD, research on its effectiveness or impact on person-centered care (PCC) has been limited. Principles of PCC planning, a recovery-based approach to service planning that operationalizes PCC, can inform the measurement of person-centeredness within clinical documentation. Objective This study aims to use the clinical informatics approach of natural language processing (NLP) to examine the impact of CD on person-centeredness in clinic visit notes. Using a dictionary-based approach, this study conducts a textual analysis of clinic notes from a community mental health center before and after staff were trained in CD. Methods This study used visit notes (n=1981) from 10 providers in a community mental health center 6 months before and after training in CD. LIWC-22 was used to assess all notes using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) dictionary, which categorizes over 5000 linguistic and psychological words. Twelve LIWC categories were selected and mapped onto PCC planning principles through the consensus of 3 domain experts. The LIWC-22 contextualizer was used to extract sentence fragments from notes corresponding to LIWC categories. Then, fixed-effects modeling was used to identify differences in notes before and after CD training while accounting for nesting within the provider. Results Sentence fragments identified by the contextualizing process illustrated how visit notes demonstrated PCC. The fixed effects analysis found a significant positive shift toward person-centeredness; this was observed in 6 of the selected LIWC categories post CD. Specifically, there was a notable increase in words associated with achievement (β=.774, P <.001), power (β=.831, P <.001), money (β=.204, P <.001), physical health (β=.427, P =.03), while leisure words decreased (β=−.166, P =.002). Conclusions By using a dictionary-based approach, the study identified how CD might influence the integration of PCC principles within clinical notes. Although the results were mixed, the findings highlight the potential effectiveness of CD in enhancing person-centeredness in clinic notes. By leveraging NLP techniques, this research illuminated the value of narrative clinical notes in assessing the quality of care in behavioral health contexts. These findings underscore the promise of NLP for quality assurance in health care settings and emphasize the need for refining algorithms to more accurately measure PCC.

2024Yoo, N., Matthews, E., Baslock, D. & Stanhope, V.Psychiatric Services DOI

2024Yoo, N., Choi, Y. & Hong, Y.International Journal of Adolescence and Youth DOI

2024Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H.International Migration DOI

2024Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H.Social Science & Medicine DOIThis study investigated the minority-blaming phenomenon in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic amplified fear, discrimination, and structural inequalities among minoritized groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study identified who was blamed for the spread of COVID-19 and the sociodemographic characteristics associated with this blame. Additionally, it examines the roles of individual and interpersonal fear and social empathy in minority blaming. We measured the fear of COVID-19 at both individual and interpersonal levels. Individual fear was assessed through personal health concerns, while the fear of transmitting the virus to others was measured as interpersonal fear. Social empathy was defined by macro perspective-taking, cognitive empathy, self-other awareness, and affective responses. The study was conducted through an online survey involving a quota sample of 1,500 South Korean participants aged 19-69 years, based on age, gender, and residential area. The response was collected in December 2020, when mass infections in specific communities received attention from mass and social media before the national spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analytical strategies, including OLS and hierarchical regression models, were employed to examine the roles of socioeconomic factors, individual and interpersonal fear, and social empathy in minority blaming. This study found varying correlations between sociodemographic factors and attitudes toward ethnic, religious, sexual, economic, and age-minority groups. Individual fear of contracting COVID-19 was associated with increased blame across all minority groups. In contrast, interpersonal fear was associated with increased blame only for ethnic and religious minority groups. Similarly, social empathy presented mixed associations, as it displayed a buffering role on blaming ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities when considered alongside interpersonal fear, yet mildly intensified blame for economic and age minorities. These findings provide an understanding on fear-induced minority blaming during the pandemic and the potential role of social empathy in mitigating blame.

2024Yoo, N., & Kapten, S. W.Transforming Careers in Mental Health for BIPOC DOI

2023Yoo, N., Nicholson, H., Chang, D.F., & Okazaki, S.Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World DOI

2023Chang, D.F., Yoo, N., Prasai, A., Lee, C.S., & Okazaki, S.Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology DOI

2023Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H.DIGITAL HEALTH DOI

2023Yoo, N., Hong, Y., & Choi, Y.Journal of Affective Disorders DOI

2023Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H.Preventive Medicine Reports DOI

2022Okazaki, S., Lee, C.S., Prasai, A., Chang, D.F., & Yoo, N.Frontiers in Public Health DOIMuch of the public discourse as well as research regarding the negative impact of COVID-19-related anti-Asian discrimination has been conducted at the broad racial group level, yet data aggregation masks critical points of diversity among Asian Americans. We conducted an online survey of 620 Asian American adults in December 2020 and examined whether there were any demographic differences–including by ethnic subgroup and Chinese street race (being Chinese or being mistaken as Chinese)–in their experiences of COVID-19-related stress, direct and vicarious discrimination, and psychological outcomes. Our analyses found that younger age was correlated with higher reports of pandemic stress, discrimination, distress, and worry. Female and U.S.-born participants reported higher levels of pandemic stress and vicarious discrimination, but there were no gender or nativity differences in levels of direct discrimination. Being uninsured was also related to higher levels of pandemic stress, discrimination, and distress. East Asian Americans reported significantly lower frequencies of direct anti-Asian discrimination than did South Asian or Southeast Asian Americans, but the ethnic subgroups did not differ in their reports of vicarious discrimination. Of note, Chinese street race was not associated with either direct or vicarious discrimination. Separate hierarchical regression analyses for East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian participants revealed that, regardless of ethnicity, racial discrimination significantly contributed to psychological distress and worry beyond the effects of pandemic stress. However, the three groups varied in the demographic indicators and COVID-19 stressors that were associated with psychological outcomes. Pandemic stress was more strongly associated with negative outcomes among South Asian Americans than East Asian and Southeast Asian Americans, and neither direct nor vicarious discrimination were associated with mental health among South Asian Americans. Direct discrimination, compared to vicarious discrimination, was a particularly robust predictor of both distress and worry among East Asian Americans. For Southeast Asian Americans, direct discrimination significantly predicted higher levels of distress, whereas vicarious discrimination predicted higher levels of worry. Vicarious discrimination was not significantly related to distress across ethnic subgroups. Results suggest that practitioners and policy makers would benefit from attending to these within-group differences in Asian Americans' experiences during the pandemic.