Danielle C Ompad

Professor of Epidemiology

Professional overview

Dr. Danielle Ompad is an epidemiologist whose work is focused in the areas of urban health, HIV, illicit drug use, and adult access to vaccines. With respect to illicit drug use, her work has spanned the entire natural history of addiction – from initiation to cessation, with particular attention paid to risk for infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, and STIs.  She has primarily worked with people who use heroin, crack, cocaine, and/or club drugs.  

In New York City, she has been examining heroin cessation among current, former, and relapsed heroin users. Working with Alliance for Public Health and the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy, she analyzes harm reduction service utilization among people who inject drugs, in order to optimize service delivery in Ukraine.  Since 2013, she has served as faculty for the Fogarty-funded New York State International Training and Research Program with the goal of building research capacity in Ukraine.

Dr. Ompad’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-funded study aims to determine if herpes simplex 1 and 2 infections explain racial disparities in HIV incidence among a cohort of young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YMSM).  In addition, Dr. Ompad and colleagues are assessing HPV infection prevalence, persistence, and clearance among this same cohort.

Education

BS, Biology, Bowie State University, Bowie, MD

MHS, Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

PhD, Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Honors and awards

Excellence in Public Health Teaching Award, New York University (2014)

Excellence in Public Health Teaching Award, New York University (2013)

National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse Scientific Development Travel Fellowship (2010)

Delta Omega Honorary Society, Alpha Chapter (2002)

Areas of research and study

Epidemiology

HIV/AIDS

Infectious Diseases

Social Determinants of Health

STIs

Substance Abuse

Vaccines

Publications

Publications

Depression among people living with tuberculosis and tuberculosis/HIV coinfection in Ukraine: a cross-sectional study

Salnikova, A., Makarenko, O., Sereda, Y., Kiriazova, T., Lunze, K., DeHovitz, J., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).

Publication year

2025

Journal title

Global Health Action

Volume

18

Issue

1

10.1080/16549716.2024.2448894

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Depressive disorders are associated with poor treatment outcomes, physical health, and quality of life among people living with TB (PLWTB) and TB/HIV (PLWTBHIV). Data on depression among PLWTB/HIV are limited in Ukraine. Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine depression risk and its correlates and describe the willingness to seek depression treatment among PLWTB/HIV in Ukraine. Methods: This secondary analysis included patients with and without HIV who initiated TB treatment within 30 days in two tertiary hospitals in Kyiv and Odesa. A survey was conducted from February 2021 to October 2022 and reviewed patients’ health records. We used the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) to indicate risk for clinical depression. Factors associated with depressive symptoms were identified using logistic regression. Results: The sample included 209 participants (n = 100 with TB; n = 109 with TB/HIV). The mean age of participants was 43 (SD = 11) years; 66% of sample identified as male. Approximately 28% of participants were at risk for clinical depression; of whom 66% were willing to seek therapeutic or medical help. HIV coinfection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.46,6.20), past 30 days illicit drug use (aOR = 3.57, 95% CI = 1.18,11.60), TB stigma (moderate stigma aOR = 7.40, 95% CI = 2.22,34.1; high stigma aOR = 15.50, 95% CI = 4.52,73.20), and unemployment status (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.12,4.60) were significantly associated with the odds of depressive symptoms among PLWTB. Conclusion: Findings support integration of a brief depression screening tool into routine clinical care of PLWTB/HIV and highlight the importance of linking TB/HIV care with mental health services.

Genetic Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein 2 Deletions and Their Impact on Malaria Interventions in Odisha, India

Mohanty, S., Jones, A. M., Dash, S., Chhatria, S. R., Padhan, T. K., Mohanty, S., Carlton, J. M., Ompad, D. C., Kessler, A., & Sahu, P. K. (n.d.).

Publication year

2025

Journal title

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Volume

112

Issue

3

Page(s)

601-609

10.4269/ajtmh.24-0330

Abstract

Abstract

Diagnostic escape via Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) histidine-rich protein 2 (pfhrp2) gene deletions is a major potential hurdle for global malaria elimination efforts. We investigated the prevalence of pfhrp2 gene deletions in 15 malaria-endemic villages in the state of Odisha, India, and modeled their impact on an ongoing in-country malaria intervention program. We found that 61.6% of subpatent P. falciparum infections (i.e., rapid diagnostic test [RDT]-negative and positive by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) had pfhrp2 gene deletions, which were predominantly located in the exon 2 region (96.2%) and largely identified in samples from febrile individuals (82.6%). DNA sequencing and protein diversity features were characterized in a subset of samples from individuals with subpatent infections carrying intact pfhrp2 exon 2 loci. Our analyses revealed novel amino acid repeat motifs (231–293 amino acids), and these variant repeat sequences differed from those of RDT1/PCR1 samples. We also evaluated the state-sponsored mass screening and treatment intervention in the context of pfhrp2 gene deletions. We found that mass screening and treatment conducted alongside additional interventions (e.g., long-lasting insecticidal net distribution, indoor residual spraying) reduced the relative risk of infection for both P. falciparum parasites harboring a pfhrp2 deletion (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] 5 0.3; 95% CI 5 0.1–1.0) and P. falciparum parasites with intact pfhrp2 genes (aRRR 5 0.4; 95% CI 5 0.2–1.1) when compared with the use of mass screening and treatment by RDT alone. Combined, our findings highlight the need for alternative diagnostic targets and tools as India moves toward its goal of malaria elimination by 2030.

Harms associated with injecting in public spaces: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

Khezri, M., Kimball, S., McKnight, C., Rouhani, S., Bunting, A. M., Karamouzian, M., Ompad, D. C., & Des Jarlais, D. (n.d.).

Publication year

2025

Journal title

International Journal of Drug Policy

Volume

140

10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104819

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Despite increasing backlash against harm reduction efforts and the need to understand the risk environments encountered by people who inject drugs (PWID), a quantitative systematic review on public injecting and associated health and drug-related outcomes is lacking. We aimed to summarize the global evidence on the prevalence and harms associated with injecting in public spaces. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Global Health, and Web of Science from inception to March 21, 2024. We pooled data from included studies using random-effects meta-analyses to quantify the associations between recent (i.e., current or within the last year) public injecting and associated outcomes. Public injecting was defined as injecting in public or semi-public spaces, including streets, parks, and abandoned buildings. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tool. Results: Of the 6144 initial records, 84 studies were eligible for inclusion. The pooled prevalence of recent public injecting was 48.85 % (95 % confidence intervals [CI] 43.87, 53.85). Public injecting was associated with increased odds of recent non-fatal overdose (odds ratio [OR] 2.51, 95 % CI 2.01, 3.13), HCV infection (OR 1.55, 95 % CI 1.18, 2.02), recent needle/syringe sharing (OR 2.41, 95 % CI 1.97, 2.94), recent sex work (OR 1.75, 95 % CI 1.03, 2.97), recent incarceration (OR 2.10, 95 % CI 1.78, 2.47), and recent unstable housing/homelessness (OR 4.23, 95 % CI 3.17, 5.65). Public injecting showed a statistically non-significant association with HIV infection (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 0.80, 2.46). Public injecting was also associated with a higher willingness to use supervised injection facilities (OR 2.66, 95 % CI 1.86, 3.80). Conclusion: Public injecting is prevalent among PWID and associated with various adverse drug- and health-related outcomes, highlighting the need for increased access to safe injection spaces. Findings support developing interventions to reduce harms from public injecting, such as addressing structural risks from law enforcement, expanding naloxone programs, and establishing overdose prevention centers. Housing interventions, in particular, could serve as an effective upstream strategy to reduce public injecting and related harms.

Macro-level determinants of gender differences in the prevalence of major depression and alcohol use disorder in the United States and across Europe

Hagen, D., Bambra, C., Ompad, D. C., & Goldmann, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2025

Journal title

Journal of Affective Disorders

Volume

370

Page(s)

301-312

10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.082

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are leading psychiatric causes of burden of disease. Although research has found pronounced gender differences in these disorders, the magnitude of these differences varies substantially between settings. However, integrated analyses of both disorders are lacking, limiting the comparability of findings. Moreover, few studies conceptualize political and socio-cultural characteristics as separate macro-level determinants of gender differences. This paper analyzes the association between gender differences in the prevalence of both MDD and AUD with social policy expenditures and indicators of gender equality. Methods: Data for adults from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2006/2008 (n = 234,020) and the European Social Survey 2014 (n = 30,416) were used. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using modified Poisson regression models adjusted for individual-level and macro-level covariates; multiplicative and additive interaction were evaluated. Results: Social policy expenditures and support for gender equality were negatively associated with gender differences in AUD in Europe (p < 0.001), with the male excess prevalence varying between 26.1 % at lowest and 9.4 % at highest observed levels of expenditures, and between 23.3 % at lowest and 6.8 % at highest levels of gender equality. In the U.S., state-level reproductive rights were negatively associated with gender differences in AUD (p = 0.036). No equivalent effects were observed for gender differences in MDD. Conclusion: The prevalence of AUD among men and women tends to converge in settings with higher levels of social policy generosity and gender equality, respectively. This effect does not seem to apply to gender differences in MDD in either setting.

The impact of the 2014 military conflict in the east of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea among patients receiving opioid agonist therapies

Creation and Validation of a New Socio-built Environment Index Measure of Opioid Overdose Risk for Use in Both Non-urban and Urban Settings

How the rural risk environment underpins hepatitis C risk: Qualitative findings from rural southern Illinois, United States

I Don’t Believe a Person Has to Die When Trying to Get High: Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies in Rural Illinois

The effectiveness of malaria camps as part of the malaria control program in Odisha, India

Ompad, D. C., Padhan, T. K., Kessler, A., Tozan, Y., Jones, A. M., Van Eijk, A. M., Sullivan, S. A., Haque, M. A., Pradhan, M. M., Mohanty, S., Carlton, J. M., & Sahu, P. K. (n.d.).

Publication year

2023

Journal title

Scientific reports

Volume

13

Issue

1

10.1038/s41598-023-46220-x

Abstract

Abstract

Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (DAMaN) is a multi-component malaria intervention for hard-to-reach villages in Odisha, India. The main component, malaria camps (MCs), consists of mass screening, treatment, education, and intensified vector control. We evaluated MC effectiveness using a quasi-experimental cluster-assigned stepped-wedge study with a pretest–posttest control group in 15 villages: six immediate (Arm A), six delayed (Arm B), and three previous interventions (Arm C). The primary outcome was PCR + Plasmodium infection prevalence. The time (i.e., baseline vs. follow-up 3) x study arm interaction term shows that there were statistically significant lower odds of PCR + Plasmodium infection in Arm A (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.17, 0.74) but not Arm C as compared to Arm B at the third follow-up. The cost per person ranged between US$3–8, the cost per tested US$4–9, and the cost per treated US$82–1,614, per camp round. These results suggest that the DAMaN intervention is a promising and financially feasible approach for malaria control.

Conceptualizing the Socio-Built Environment: An Expanded Theoretical Framework to Promote a Better Understanding of Risk for Nonmedical Opioid Overdose Outcomes in Urban and Non-Urban Settings

Copycat and lookalike edible cannabis product packaging in the United States

No Good Time Without Drugs: Qualitative Study Among Nightlife Attendees in Tbilisi, Georgia

Predictors of Anal High-Risk HPV Infection Across Time in a Cohort of Young Adult Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women in New York City, 2015–2020

PrEP Care Continuum Engagement Among Persons Who Inject Drugs: Rural and Urban Differences in Stigma and Social Infrastructure

Presence of Content Appealing to Youth on Cannabis-Infused Edibles Packaging

Principles and Metrics for Evaluating Oregon’s Innovative Drug Decriminalization Measure

Structural and community changes during COVID-19 and their effects on overdose precursors among rural people who use drugs: a mixed-methods analysis

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug Use Behaviors, Fentanyl Exposure, and Harm Reduction Service Support among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Settings

Bolinski, R. S., Walters, S., Salisbury-Afshar, E., Ouellet, L. J., Jenkins, W. D., Almirol, E., Van Ham, B., Fletcher, S., Johnson, C., Schneider, J. A., Ompad, D., & Pho, M. T. (n.d.).

Publication year

2022

Journal title

International journal of environmental research and public health

Volume

19

Issue

4

10.3390/ijerph19042230

Abstract

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the opioid overdose crisis in the US. Rural communities have been disproportionately affected by opioid use and people who use drugs in these settings may be acutely vulnerable to pandemic-related disruptions due to high rates of poverty, social isolation, and pervasive resource limitations. Methods: We performed a mixed-methods study to assess the impact of the pandemic in a convenience sample of people who use drugs in rural Illinois. We conducted 50 surveys capturing demographics, drug availability, drug use, sharing practices, and mental health symptoms. In total, 19 qualitative interviews were performed to further explore COVID-19 knowledge, impact on personal and community life, drug acquisition and use, overdose, and protective substance use adaptations. Results: Drug use increased during the pandemic, including the use of fentanyl products such as gel encapsulated “beans” and “buttons”. Disruptions in supply, including the decreased availability of heroin, increased methamphetamine costs and a concomitant rise in local methamphetamine production, and possible fentanyl contamination of methamphetamine was reported. Participants reported increased drug use alone, experience and/or witness of overdose, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Consistent access to harm reduction services, including naloxone and fentanyl test strips, was highlighted as a source of hope and community resiliency. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic period was characterized by changing drug availability, increased overdose risk, and other drug-related harms faced by people who use drugs in rural areas. Our findings emphasize the importance of ensuring access to harm reduction services, including overdose prevention and drug checking for this vulnerable population.

Acceptability and Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Care at Syringe Service Programs for People Who Inject Drugs in New York City

Dominican Provider Attitudes Towards HPV Testing for Cervical Cancer Screening and, Current Challenges to Cervical Cancer Prevention in the Dominican Republic: a Mixed Methods Study

Dominican Provider Practices for Cervical Cancer Screening in Santo Domingo and Monte Plata Provinces

How urban and rural built environments influence the health attitudes and behaviors of people who use drugs

Racial and ethnic disparities in "stop-and-frisk" experience among young sexual minority men in New York City

Khan, M. R., Kapadia, F., Geller, A., Mazumdar, M., Scheidell, J. D., Krause, K. D., Martino, R. J., Cleland, C. M., Dyer, T. V., Ompad, D. C., & Halkitis, P. N. (n.d.).

Publication year

2021

Journal title

PloS one

Volume

16

Issue

8

10.1371/journal.pone.0256201

Abstract

Abstract

Although racial/ethnic disparities in police contact are well documented, less is known about other dimensions of inequity in policing. Sexual minority groups may face disproportionate police contact. We used data from the P18 Cohort Study (Version 2), a study conducted to measure determinants of inequity in STI/HIV risk among young sexual minority men (YSMM) in New York City, to measure across-time trends, racial/ethnic disparities, and correlates of self-reported stop-and-frisk experience over the cohort follow-up (2014-2019). Over the study period, 43% reported stop-and-frisk with higher levels reported among Black (47%) and Hispanic/Latinx (45%) than White (38%) participants. Stop-and-frisk levels declined over follow-up for each racial/ethnic group. The per capita rates among P18 participants calculated based on self-reported stop-and-frisk were much higher than rates calculated based on New York City Police Department official counts. We stratified respondents' ZIP codes of residence into tertiles of per capita stop rates and observed pronounced disparities in Black versus White stop-and-frisk rates, particularly in neighborhoods with low or moderate levels of stop-and-frisk activity. YSMM facing the greatest economic vulnerability and mental disorder symptoms were most likely to report stop-and-frisk. Among White respondents levels of past year stop-and-frisk were markedly higher among those who reported past 30 day marijuana use (41%) versus those reporting no use (17%) while among Black and Hispanic/Latinx respondents stop-and-frisk levels were comparable among those reporting marijuana use (38%) versus those reporting no use (31%). These findings suggest inequity in policing is observed not only among racial/ethnic but also sexual minority groups and that racial/ethnic YSMM, who are at the intersection of multiple minority statuses, face disproportionate risk. Because the most socially vulnerable experience disproportionate stop-and-frisk risk, we need to reach YSMM with community resources to promote health and wellbeing as an alternative to targeting this group with stressful and stigmatizing police exposure.

The effectiveness of malaria camps as part of the Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (DAMaN) program in Odisha, India: study protocol for a cluster-assigned quasi-experimental study

"they look at us like junkies": Influences of drug use stigma on the healthcare engagement of people who inject drugs in New York City

Muncan, B., Walters, S. M., Ezell, J., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).

Publication year

2020

Journal title

Harm Reduction Journal

Volume

17

Issue

1

10.1186/s12954-020-00399-8

Abstract

Abstract

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are a medically and socially vulnerable population with a high incidence of overdose, mental illness, and infections like HIV and hepatitis C. Existing literature describes social and economic correlations to increased health risk, including stigma. Injection drug use stigma has been identified as a major contributor to healthcare disparities for PWID. However, data on this topic, particularly in terms of the interface between enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma, is still limited. To fill this gap, we examined perspectives from PWID whose stigmatizing experiences impacted their views of the healthcare system and syringe service programs (SSPs) and influenced their decisions regarding future medical care. Methods: Semi-structured interviews conducted with 32 self-identified PWID in New York City. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Interview transcripts were coded using a grounded theory approach by three trained coders and key themes were identified as they emerged. Results: A total of 25 participants (78.1%) reported at least one instance of stigma related to healthcare system engagement. Twenty-three participants (71.9%) reported some form of enacted stigma with healthcare, 19 participants (59.4%) described anticipated stigma with healthcare, and 20 participants (62.5%) reported positive experiences at SSPs. Participants attributed healthcare stigma to their drug injection use status and overwhelmingly felt distrustful of, and frustrated with, medical providers and other healthcare staff at hospitals and local clinics. PWID did not report internalized stigma, in part due to the availability of non-stigmatizing medical care at SSPs. Conclusions: Stigmatizing experiences of PWID in formal healthcare settings contributed to negative attitudes toward seeking healthcare in the future. Many participants describe SSPs as accessible sites to receive high-quality medical care, which may curb the manifestation of internalized stigma derived from negative experiences in the broader healthcare system. Our findings align with those reported in the literature and reveal the potentially important role of SSPs. With the goal of limiting stigmatizing interactions and their consequences on PWID health, we recommend that future research include explorations of mechanisms by which PWID make decisions in stigmatizing healthcare settings, as well as improving medical care availability at SSPs.