Lab Director: Sasha Rudenstine, Ph.D.
The INTERSECT Lab is a clinical and epidemiological research program that examines the intersection of trajectories of well-being among an urban under-resourced population. What are extraordinary events for many individuals are daily experiences in the lives of this population. While such stressors may become commonplace within this subpopulation, they affect daily functioning and arguably long-term health outcomes. The INTERSECT Lab adopts a multi-level approach and ecological framework to understanding the cumulative effect of these chronic, yet quotidian experiences on well-being. We aim to examine and reassess frequently used terms such as trauma, health, family systems, and poverty to reflect the experiences that are relevant and specific to an urban marginalized population with the aim of promoting appropriate and targeted interventions and policies. In this vein, we are redefining “extraordinary” life course phenomenon.
The INTERSECT Lab aims to examine three distinct dimensions of health as well as points of intersection:
1. Marginalized urban populations
2. Stressors over the life course
3. Population-level disasters
