MEASURE Lab

Multilevel Epidemiologic Assessment of Substance Use, Resilience, and Emotional Well-Being

Led by Dr. Rachel Hoopsick, the MEASURE Lab applies rigorous epidemiologic methods and a socio-ecological framework to study substance use and mental health among populations facing high-stress occupations and life circumstances. Our work seeks to understand the complex, multilevel factors that shape risk, resilience, and well-being in these communities.

What is epidemiology?

Epidemiology is a core discipline of public health, defined as “the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems.” Epidemiologists examine patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations.

At the MEASURE Lab, we use epidemiologic research methods to explore how various biological, behavioral, social, and structural factors influence substance use and mental health outcomes. Our goal is to generate evidence that informs effective prevention, intervention, and policy strategies at the population level.

What is the Social Ecological Model?

The Social Ecological Model (SEM), based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, offers a framework for understanding how individuals both influence and are influenced by their surrounding environments. This model outlines multiple, interacting levels of influence that shape behavior and health outcomes across the lifespan.

At the core is the microsystem, which includes an individual’s immediate environments such as family, peers, and the workplace. These environments interact within the mesosystem, where connections between different microsystems (for example, family–school or work–community relationships) can reinforce or buffer against stressors. The exosystem encompasses settings that indirectly influence an individual’s life, such as a spouse’s workplace or community-level policies. The macrosystem refers to the broader societal and cultural values, norms, and systems that shape experiences and opportunities. Finally, the chronosystem captures the dimension of time, reflecting life transitions and sociohistorical changes that affect individual development and behavior.

While much of the research on substance use and mental health focuses on individual-level risk factors, our lab takes a broader, multilevel approach. We examine how interpersonal relationships, organizational contexts, community environments, and structural or policy-level factors contribute to behavioral health outcomes. This perspective allows us to better understand the interplay between context and behavior, and to identify leverage points for more effective public health strategies.