Research
Traumatic Brain Injury
Our research group considers trauma at multiple levels, including physical-based injury like TBI, psychological injury, neighbor-hood-level trauma and institutional violence. Dr. Saadi's NINDS-funded K23 project is also TBI-focused, seeking to adapt a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for refugees and asylum-seekers with TBI, to be delivered by community health workers. We are excited to continue sharing progress on the K23 project in upcoming years!
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Immigrant and Refugee Health
Our research group focuses on the needs of immigrant and forcibly displacement populations, looking at other neurological issues beyond TBI as well as multi-level factors that influence their health (i.e., immigration enforcement).
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"Sanctuary" Hospitals
One of Dr. Saadi’s areas of research has focused on understanding how hospitals and health care facilities can ensure that all patients feel safe when accessing health care, regardless of their immigration status, exploring the concept of “sanctuary” and “safe spaces” in the clinical setting. The term “sanctuary hospital” is used to capture the concept of a safe space where patients' rights are uniformly protected and where practical measures are implemented to achieve this outcome.
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Neurology and Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health outcomes. This is a big focus of our lab, with recent attention to limited English proficiency status among immigrant patients.
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Immigration and Detention
Substandard medical care and poor conditions in immigration prisons can be a catalyst for worsening health. Our team has contributed to peer-reviewed publications, op-eds, and workshops about this topic, highlighted below. Not represented in publications (yet) are the fruits of our National Science Foundation and Russel Sage Foundation-funded project, led alongside Dr. Caitlin Patler (UC Berkeley). This mixed-methods, multi-generational and longitudinal project is focused on the health impacts of release from immigration prison on entire households. We are excited to share more in the upcoming year!
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Health Impacts of Police Violence
Dr. Saadi continues to leverage her expertise to highlight the harms perpetuated by police, building on prior work and publications on neck restraints used by police and excited delirium
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We are dedicated to researching and improving health justice for all. If you would like to support our ongoing efforts, we welcome your donation.
You may do so through here or through contacting Dr. Saadi herself: assadi@mgh.harvard.edu