About
Before joining Drexel University, James Muruthi, PhD, was an assistant professor of Family and Human Services at the University of Oregon. Muruthi specializes in family aging, health and wellness. His main research interests are family and neighborhood factors, social capital and health disparities among aging marginalized individuals. His research program uses a wide range of mixed methods to understand how to leverage capital (human and social) to alleviate poor health among marginalized older people (mainly Blacks) and their families. Critical to Muruthi’s research is using strength-based perspectives to enhance the health of traditionally understudied aging individuals, including rural settlers, African families, low-income individuals and gender and sexual minorities. Ultimately, his research program aims to inform the development and evaluation of community-specific instruments, theories and interventions for better health and well-being in marginalized people and their families.
His active research activities include:
- Psychological distress and poverty among rural Kenyans – funded by the Mental Health Research Institute.
- Syndemics and health disparities in the Black population.
- Family caregiving in Black and African families.
- Alleviating poverty to reduce mental health problems in Kenya.
Muruthi runs a research group always looking for motivated students, especially outstanding writers with qualitative or quantitative expertise. He intentionally recruits students from less-represented groups, such as international, first-generation college, gender and sexual minorities and low-income students. International collaborations and fieldwork include Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Canada.