Danielle C Ompad
Danielle C. Ompad
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Professor of Epidemiology
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Professional overview
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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.
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Education
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BS, Biology, Bowie State University, Bowie, MDMHS, Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MDPhD, Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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Honors and awards
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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)
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Areas of research and study
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EpidemiologyHIV/AIDSInfectious DiseasesSocial Determinants of HealthSTIsSubstance AbuseVaccines
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Publications
Publications
Hunger and health among undocumented Mexican migrants in a US urban area
AbstractHadley, C., Galea, S., Nandi, V., Nandi, A., Lopez, G., Strongarone, S., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2008Journal title
Public Health NutritionVolume
11Issue
2Page(s)
151-158AbstractObjectives: To measure the occurrence and correlates of hunger and to evaluate the association between hunger and three health indicators among undocumented Mexican immigrants. Design: Non-probability cross-sectional sample. Setting: Neighbourhoods within New York City. Subjects: Four hundred and thirty-one undocumented Mexican immigrants living in the USA. Results: Hunger was indicated by approximately 28% of respondents. In a multivariate model, working as a day labourer was associated with hunger (odds ratio (OR) 3.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.83-6.06) while receiving public assistance protected against hunger (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.06-0.88). In multivariate models, respondents who reported experiencing hunger also reported poorer overall health (OR 1.69, 95% CI 0.95-3.02) and more days of poor mental (P = 0.045) and physical health (P < 0.0001). Greater amount of time lived in the USA was also associated with worse overall health (P = 0.054) and more days of poor mental and physical health (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The present study shows that food insecurity and hunger may be problems among undocumented migrants living in the USA. Uncertain and unpredictable work schedules and limited access to public assistance may contribute to high levels of hunger, which in turn may also negatively affect mental and physical health. Increasing amount of time lived in the USA is also associated with poorer health indicators. Programmes that provide undocumented migrants with emergency access to resources may reduce food insecurity and lead to improved health outcomes among this vulnerable population."I didn't think I could get out of the fucking park." Gay men's retrospective accounts of neighborhood space, emerging sexuality andmigrations
AbstractFrye, V., Egan, J. E., Tieu, H. V., Cerdá, M., Ompad, D. C., & Koblin, B. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2014Journal title
Social Science and MedicineVolume
104Page(s)
6-14AbstractYoung, African American and Latino gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately represented among new HIV cases according to the most recent national surveillance statistics. Analysts have noted that these racial/ethnic disparities in HIV among MSM exist within the wider context of sexual, mental and physical health disparities between MSM and heterosexuals. The intercorrelation of these adverse health outcomes among MSM, termed syndemics, has been theorized to be socially produced by a heterosexist social system that marginalizes lesbian, gay, bisexual, MSM and other sexual minorities. African American and Latino MSM experience overlapping systems of oppression that may increase their risk of experiencing syndemic health outcomes. In this paper, using data from twenty in-depth qualitative interviews with MSM living in four New York City (NYC) neighborhoods, we present accounts of neighborhood space, examining how space can both physically constitute and reinforce social systems of stratification and oppression, which in turn produce social disparities in sexual health outcomes. By analyzing accounts of emerging sexuality in neighborhood space, i.e. across time and space, we identify pathways to risk and contribute to our understanding of how neighborhood space is experienced by gay men, adding to our ability to support young men as they emerge in place and to shape the social topography of urban areas.I Don’t Believe a Person Has to Die When Trying to Get High : Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies in Rural Illinois
AbstractWalters, S. M., Felsher, M., Frank, D., Jaiswal, J., Townsend, T., Muncan, B., Bennett, A. S., Friedman, S. R., Jenkins, W., Pho, M. T., Fletcher, S., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2023Journal title
International journal of environmental research and public healthVolume
20Issue
2AbstractBackground: Overdose is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people who inject drugs. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is now a major driver of opioid overdose deaths. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants (19 persons who inject drugs and 4 service providers) from rural southern Illinois. Data were analyzed using constant comparison and theoretical sampling methods. Results: Participants were concerned about the growing presence of fentanyl in both opioids and stimulants, and many disclosed overdose experiences. Strategies participants reported using to lower overdose risk included purchasing drugs from trusted sellers and modifying drug use practices by partially injecting and/or changing the route of transmission. Approximately half of persons who inject drugs sampled had heard of fentanyl test strips, however fentanyl test strip use was low. To reverse overdoses, participants reported using cold water baths. Use of naloxone to reverse overdose was low. Barriers to naloxone access and use included fear of arrest and opioid withdrawal. Conclusions: People who inject drugs understood fentanyl to be a potential contaminant in their drug supply and actively engaged in harm reduction techniques to try to prevent overdose. Interventions to increase harm reduction education and information about and access to fentanyl test strips and naloxone would be beneficial.Identifying Injection Drug Users at Risk of Nonfatal Overdose
AbstractCoffin, P. O., Tracy, M., Bucciarelli, A., Ompad, D. C., Vlahov, D., & Galea, S. (n.d.).Publication year
2007Journal title
Academic Emergency MedicineVolume
14Issue
7Page(s)
616-623AbstractObjectives: Drug overdose is the second leading cause of accidental deaths among U.S. adults aged 15-64 years. Emergency physicians have a unique opportunity to provide overdose prevention interventions, because habitual drug users are in frequent need of medical care. The authors evaluated associations between individual-level risk factors and experiencing an overdose in the past six months to determine which characteristics and behaviors may be most predictive of overdose. Methods: The authors used data from a sample of street-recruited habitual drug users who participated in face-to-face interviews about overdose from November 2001 to February 2004. This analysis was restricted to 772 respondents who had been injecting for at least one year and who had injected heroin within the past two months. Results: A total of 16.6% of participants had overdosed in the past six months. Characteristics and behaviors that were independently associated with an increased risk of a recent overdose were having had a prior overdose (odds ratio [OR], 28.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.10 to 57.96), using cocaine/crack in the past six months (OR, 2.07; 95% CI = 1.25 to 3.45), using alcohol in the past six months (OR, 1.90; 95% CI = 1.01 to 3.57), experiencing serious withdrawal symptoms in the past two months (OR, 2.70; 95% CI = 1.58 to 4.61), and younger age. Conclusions: Drug users who have previously experienced a nonfatal overdose are at very high risk of experiencing future overdoses. Further longitudinal studies are needed to identify robust predictors of overdose risk over time in habitual drug users, but these data suggest that drug users who have overdosed warrant aggressive prevention efforts such as agonist maintenance treatment or provision of take-home naloxone.Illicit drug use among rave attendees in a nationally representative sample of US high school seniors
AbstractPalamar, J. J., Griffin-Tomas, M., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2015Journal title
Drug and alcohol dependenceVolume
152Page(s)
24-31AbstractBackground: The popularity of electronic dance music and rave parties such as dance festivals has increased in recent years. Targeted samples of party-goers suggest high rates of drug use among attendees, but few nationally representative studies have examined these associations. Methods: We examined sociodemographic correlates of rave attendance and relationships between rave attendance and recent (12-month) use of various drugs in a representative sample of US high school seniors (modal age: 18) from the Monitoring the Future study (2011-2013; Weighted N=7373). Results: One out of five students (19.8%) reported ever attending a rave, and 7.7% reported attending at least monthly. Females and highly religious students were less likely to attend raves, and Hispanics, students residing in cities, students with higher income and those who go out for fun multiple times per week were more likely to attend. Rave attendees were more likely than non-attendees to report use of an illicit drug other than marijuana (35.5% vs. 15.6%, pImpact of social network characteristics on high-risk sexual behaviors among non-injection drug users
AbstractPilowsky, D. J., Hoover, D., Hadden, B., Fuller, C., Ompad, D. C., Andrews, H. F., De Leon, C. L., Hoepner, L., Xia, Q., & Latkin, C. (n.d.).Publication year
2007Journal title
Substance Use and MisuseVolume
42Issue
11Page(s)
1629-1649AbstractSexually active non-injection drug users in New York City and their sexual partners or fellow drug users (N = 264) were recruited from 2002 to 2005, and associations between social network characteristics and sexual risk behaviors were examined. We assessed social networks, sexual practices, and drug use. Results suggest having a drug-centered social network, i.e., a network that includes a high proportion of individuals who provide, receive, or use drugs, increases the risk of engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors. The study's limitations are noted and longitudinal studies are needed to ascertain whether these associations are causal. Funding was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Incidence of Guillain-BarréSyndrome (GBS) in Latin America and the Caribbean before and during the 2015-2016 Zika virus epidemic : A systematic review and meta-analysis
AbstractCapasso, A., Ompad, D. C., Vieira, D. L., Wilder-Smith, A., & Tozan, Y. (n.d.).Publication year
2019Journal title
PLoS neglected tropical diseasesVolume
13Issue
8AbstractBackground A severe neurological disorder, Guillain-Barrésyndrome (GBS) is the leading cause of acute flaccid paralysis. Enhanced surveillance of GBS in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) following the 2015-2016 Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic presents an opportunity to estimate, for the first time, the regional incidence of GBS. Methods and findings For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched nine scientific databases and grey literature from January 1, 1980 to October 1, 2018. Sources with primary data on incident GBS cases in LAC within a well-defined population and timeframe, published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French, were included. We calculated the annual GBS incidence rates (IRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each source based on published data. Following an assessment of heterogeneity, we used random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the pooled annual IR of GBS. The study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42018086659. Of the 6568 initial citation hits, 31 were eligible for inclusion. Background annual GBS IRs in Latin America ranged from 0.40 in Brazil to 2.12/100,000 in Chile. The pooled annual IR in the Caribbean was 1.64 (95% CI 1.29-2.12, I2Incidence of HIV infection in young gay, bisexual, and other YMSM : The P18 cohort study
AbstractHalkitis, P. N., Kapadia, F., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2015Journal title
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency SyndromesVolume
69Issue
4Page(s)
466-473AbstractContent: HIV infections continue to rise in a new generation of young gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM) despite 3 decades of HIV prevention and recent biomedical technologies to deter infection. Objectives: To examine the incidence of HIV and the demographic, behavioral, and structural factors associated with incident infections. Design: A prospective cohort study. Participants: Six hundred YMSM who were aged 18-19 years at baseline. Results: At baseline, 6 prevalent cases of HIV were detected. Over the course of 36 months and 6 additional waves of data collection, we identified 43 (7.2%) incident cases of HIV. Incident infections were marginally higher among those residing in neighborhoods with higher rates of HIV prevalence. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we detected that hazard ratios (HRs) for time to HIV seroconversion were significantly higher for black YMSM (HR = 7.46) and mixed/other race YMSM (HR = 7.99), and older age at sexual debut with another man was associated with a lower risk of HIV seroconversion (HR = 0.50), whereas low perceived familial socioeconomic status was marginally associated with an increased risk for HIV seroconversion (HR = 2.45). Conclusions: These findings support the disparities for HIV that exist within the population of sexual minority men and suggest that we attend to behavioral, structural, and social conditions to effectively tailor HIV prevention for a new generation of YMSM with keen eyes to the conditions faced by racial and ethnic minority YMSM, which heightened their risk for acquiring HIV.Individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics associated with support of in-pharmacy vaccination among ESAP-registered pharmacies : Pharmacists role in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccinations in New York city
AbstractCrawford, N. D., Blaney, S., Amesty, S., Rivera, A. V., Turner, A. K., Ompad, D. C., & Fuller, C. M. (n.d.).Publication year
2011Journal title
Journal of Urban HealthVolume
88Issue
1Page(s)
176-185AbstractNew York State (NYS) passed legislation authorizing pharmacists to administer immunizations in 2008. Racial/socioeconomic disparities persist in vaccination rates and vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza. Many NYS pharmacies participate in the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP), which allows provision of non-prescription syringes to help prevent transmission of HIV, and are uniquely positioned to offer vaccination services to low-income communities. To understand individual and neighborhood characteristics of pharmacy staff support for in-pharmacy vaccination, we combined census tract data with baseline pharmacy data from the Pharmacies as Resources Making Links to Community Services (PHARM-Link) study among ESAP-registered pharmacies. The sample consists of 437 pharmacists, non-pharmacist owners, and technicians enrolled from 103 eligible New York City pharmacies. Using multilevel analysis, pharmacy staff who expressed support of in-pharmacy vaccination services were 69% more likely to support in-pharmacy HIV testing services (OR, 1.69; 95% CI 1.39-2.04). While pharmacy staff who worked in neighborhoods with a high percent of minority residents were less likely to express support of in-pharmacy vaccination, those in neighborhoods with a high percent of foreign-born residents were marginally more likely to express support of in-pharmacy vaccination. While educational campaigns around the importance of vaccination access may be needed among some pharmacy staff and minority community residents, we have provided evidence supporting scale-up of vaccination efforts in pharmacies located in foreign-born/immigrant communities which has potential to reduce disparities in vaccination rates and preventable influenza-related mortality.Intimate partner violence and consistent condom use among drug-using heterosexual women in New York City
AbstractPanchanadeswaran, S., Frye, V., Nandi, V., Galea, S., Vlahov, D., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2010Journal title
Women and HealthVolume
50Issue
2Page(s)
107-124AbstractThe present study examined the associations of relationship factors, partner violence, relationship power, and condom-use related factors with condom use with a main male partner among drug-using women. Over two visits, 244 heterosexual drug-using women completed a cross-sectional survey. Multivariate logistic regression models indicated that women who expected positive outcomes and perceived lower condom-use barriers were more likely to report condom use with their intimate partners. The findings suggest that future interventions aiming at reducing HIV risk among drug-using women should focus on women's subjective appraisals of risks based on key relationship factors in addition to the occurrence of partner violence.Intimate partner violence perpetration and condom use-related factors : Associations with heterosexual men's consistent condom use
AbstractFrye, V., Ompad, D. C., Chan, C., Koblin, B., Galea, S., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2011Journal title
AIDS and BehaviorVolume
15Issue
1Page(s)
153-162AbstractIntimate partner violence victimization has been linked to sexual HIV risk behavior among heterosexual women. The unique role of perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in sexual risk behavior among men has not been studied as well. Based on interviews with 518 heterosexual men recruited via street-intercept between 2005 and 2007 in New York City, we assessed the relationship between perpetration of IPV against a main female partner and inconsistent condom use with that same partner, while controlling for condom use-related factors. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that men who perpetrated physical IPV were half as likely to report consistent condom use as compared with men who did not use violence, while controlling for sociodemographic, condom use-related and other factors. Physical IPV perpetration by heterosexual men makes an independent contribution to consistent condom use. Designing interventions for heterosexual men that simultaneously address both IPV and sexual risk behaviors is critical.Lack of behavior change after disclosure of hepatitis C virus infection among young injection drug users in Baltimore, Maryland
AbstractOmpad, D. C., Fuller, C. M., Vlahov, D., Thomas, D., & Strathdee, S. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2002Journal title
Clinical Infectious DiseasesVolume
35Issue
7Page(s)
783-788AbstractWe evaluated behavior change after disclosure of a positive hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody test result among a cohort of young injection drug users (IDUs). Participants underwent semiannual interviews, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV antibody testing, and pretest and posttest counseling. We used X2 statistics to study changes in the frequencies of high-risk behaviors from baseline to a 6-month follow-up visit among 46 IDUs who had a positive HCV test result and among 60 IDUs who did not have a positive HCV test result or who were unaware of their test result. No significant differences were detected between the 2 groups. Both groups continued to share syringes, needles, and other injection paraphernalia. These findings suggest that young IDUs may not be aware of the risk of HCV infection and highlight the urgent need for post-HCV test guidelines and behavioral interventions to reduce ongoing high-risk behavior that perpetuates the risk of HCV transmission.Macro-level determinants of gender differences in the prevalence of major depression and alcohol use disorder in the United States and across Europe
AbstractHagen, D., Bambra, C., Ompad, D. C., & Goldmann, E. (n.d.).Publication year
2025Journal title
Journal of Affective DisordersVolume
370Page(s)
301-312AbstractBackground: 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.Men who purchase sex, who are they? an interurban comparison
AbstractOmpad, D. C., Bell, D. L., Amesty, S., Nyitray, A. G., Papenfuss, M., Lazcano-Ponce, E., Villa, L. L., & Giuliano, A. R. (n.d.).Publication year
2013Journal title
Journal of Urban HealthVolume
90Issue
6Page(s)
1166-1180AbstractMost research concerning clients of commercial sex workers (CSWs) relies upon CSW reports of client characteristics and behavior. We describe correlates of ever purchasing sex among 3,829 men from three cities: Sao Paulo, Brazil; Cuernavaca, Mexico; and Tampa, USA. A computer-assisted self-interview collected data on demographics and sexual behavior. There were significant site differences26.5 % paid for sex in Sao Paulo, 10.4 % in Cuernavaca, and 4.9 % in Tampa. In all cities, men who had sex with men and women (versus sex with women only) were more likely to have ever paid for sex. In Sao Paulo and Cuernavaca, CSW clients were older, had higher educational attainment, and were less likely to be married. In Tampa, older age was associated with being a CSW client but not education and marital status. In Sao Paulo and Cuernavaca, CSW clients had more partners than men who had never paid for sex. In Sao Paulo, CSW clients initiated vaginal sex at an earlier age, while in Cuernavaca they were more likely to self-report a sexually transmitted infection. CSW clients varied with respect to demographics across the three cities while the association between paying for sex and risky sexual behavior seems to be somewhat conserved. These findings suggest that interventions among CSW clients should focus on condom use with commercial and non-commercial partners as these men may be at increased risk for transmitting and acquiring sexually transmitted infections to and from their sex partners. Better understanding of client characteristics is needed for targeting interventions and creating culturally appropriate content.Methods to Measure the Impact of Home, Social, and Sexual Neighborhoods of Urban Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men
AbstractKoblin, B. A., Egan, J. E., Rundle, A., Quinn, J., Tieu, H. V., Cerdá, M., Ompad, D. C., Greene, E., Hoover, D. R., & Frye, V. (n.d.).Publication year
2013Journal title
PloS oneVolume
8Issue
10AbstractMen who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 61% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2010. Recent analyses indicate that socio-structural factors are important correlates of HIV infection. NYCM2M was a cross-sectional study designed to identify neighborhood-level characteristics within the urban environment that influence sexual risk behaviors, substance use and depression among MSM living in New York City. The sample was recruited using a modified venue-based time-space sampling methodology and through select websites and mobile applications. This paper describes novel methodological approaches used to improve the quality of data collected for analysis of the impact of neighborhoods on MSM health. Previous research has focused predominately on residential neighborhoods and used pre-determined administrative boundaries (e.g., census tracts) that often do not reflect authentic and meaningful neighborhoods. This study included the definition and assessment of multiple neighborhoods of influence including where men live (home neighborhood), socialize (social neighborhood) and have sex (sexual neighborhood). Furthermore, making use of technological advances in mapping, we collected geo-points of reference for each type of neighborhood and identified and constructed self-identified neighborhood boundary definitions. Finally, this study collected both perceived neighborhood characteristics and objective neighborhood conditions to create a comprehensive, flexible and rich neighborhood-level set of covariates. This research revealed that men perceived their home, social and sexual neighborhoods in different ways. Few men (15%) had the same home, social and sexual neighborhoods; for 31%, none of the neighborhoods was the same. Of the three types of neighborhoods, the number of unique social neighborhoods was the lowest; the size of sexual neighborhoods was the smallest. The resultant dataset offers the opportunity to conduct analyses that will yield context-specific and nuanced understandings of the relations among neighborhood space, and the well-being and health of urban MSM.Mortality risk among recent-onset injection drug users in five U.S. cities
AbstractVlahov, D., Wang, C., Ompad, D. C., Fuller, C. M., Caceres, W., Ouellet, L., Kerndt, P., Jarlais, D. C., & Garfein, R. S. (n.d.).Publication year
2008Journal title
Substance Use and MisuseVolume
43Issue
3-4Page(s)
413-428AbstractTo quantify the risk of death among recent-onset (< 5 years) injection drug users, we enrolled 2089 injection drug users (IDUs) age ≤ 35 years (minimum age = 18 years) between 1997 and 1999. Median age was 24 years, 62.4% were male, 54.5% were non-Hispanic White, mean duration of injecting was 3 years, and 45.4% injected daily within the prior 6 months. Using the National Death Index, we identified 68 deaths over a follow-up period through December 2002 with a mortality rate of 7.10/1000 person years. Using age-, sex-, and race-adjusted data to the census and mortality, we calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) over time. The adjusted SMR (with national data as the reference) for IDUs was 3.66 for 1997, which increased to 9.78 by 1998, decreased slightly to 7.08 by 1999, and continuously declined to 2.54 by 2002. These data confirm considerable excess mortality among recent onset injection drug users compared to non-IDU peers in the general population and indicate need for interventions such as increased quality and accessibility to drug abuse** treatment and overdose prevention to prevent premature death among young IDUs.Moving Toward a Holistic Conceptual Framework for Understanding Healthy Aging Among Gay Men
AbstractHalkitis, P. N., Kapadia, F., Ompad, D. C., & Perez-Figueroa, R. (n.d.).Publication year
2015Journal title
Journal of HomosexualityVolume
62Issue
5Page(s)
571-587AbstractIn the last four decades, we have witnessed vast and important transitions in the social, economic, political, and health contexts of the lived experiences of gay men in the United States. This dynamic period, as evidenced most prominently by the transition of the gay rights movement to a civil rights movement, has shifted the exploration of gay men’s health from one focusing primarily on HIV/AIDS into a mainstream consideration of the overall health and wellbeing of gay men. Against this backdrop, aging gay men in the United States constitute a growing population, for whom further investigations of health states and health-related disparities are warranted. In order to advance our understanding of the health and wellbeing of aging gay men, we outline here a multilevel, ecosocial conceptual framework that integrates salient environmental, social, psychosocial, and sociodeomgraphic factors into sets of macro-, meso-, and micro-level constructs that can be applied to comprehensively study health states and health care utilization in older gay men.Neighborhood characteristics and disability in older adults
AbstractBeard, J. R., Blaney, S., Cerda, M., Frye, V., Lovasi, G. S., Ompad, D. C., Rundle, A., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2009Journal title
Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social SciencesVolume
64Issue
2Page(s)
252-257AbstractObjective To characterize the influence of the residential neighborhood of older adults on the prevalence of disability.MethodsWe combined Census data on disability in older adults living in New York City with environmental information from a comprehensive geospatial database. We used factor analysis to derive dimensions of compositional and physical neighborhood characteristics and linear regression to model their association with levels of disability. Measures of neighborhood collective efficacy were added to these models to explore the impact of the social environment.ResultsLow neighborhood socioeconomic status, residential instability, living in areas with low proportions of foreign born and high proportions of Black residents, and negative street characteristics were associated with higher prevalence of both "physical" disability and "going outside the home" disability. High crime levels were additionally associated with physical disability, although this relationship disappeared when misdemeanor arrests were removed from the crime variable. Low levels of collective efficacy were associated with more going-outside-the-home disability, with racial/ethnic composition dropping out of this model to be replaced by an interaction term.ConclusionThe urban environment may have a substantial impact on whether an older adult with a given level of functional impairment is able to age actively and remain independent.Neighborhood Characteristics and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Against Women Among Low-Income, Drug-Involved New York City Residents : Results From the IMPACT Studies
AbstractFrye, V., Blaney, S., Cerdá, M., Vlahov, D., Galea, S., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2014Journal title
Violence Against WomenVolume
20Issue
7Page(s)
799-824AbstractWe assessed relations among neighborhood characteristics and sexual intimate partner violence against women (SIPVAW), among low-income, drug-involved, women (n = 360) and men (n = 670) in New York City between 2005 and 2009. Six percent of women (n = 22) and 5% of men (n = 33) reported experiencing and perpetrating SIPVAW in the past year with a main partner. In adjusted mixed models among women, neighborhood ethnic heterogeneity was significantly negatively associated with SIPVAW victimization. In adjusted logistic models among men, neighborhood collective efficacy was significantly positively associated with SIPVAW perpetration. Novel theoretical frameworks are needed to guide research on neighborhoods and partner violence.Neighborhood determinants of mood and anxiety disorders among men who have sex with men in New York City
AbstractCerdá, M., Nandi, V., Frye, V., Egan, J. E., Rundle, A., Quinn, J. W., Sheehan, D., Hoover, D. R., Ompad, D. C., van Tieu, H., Greene, E., & Koblin, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2017Journal title
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiologyVolume
52Issue
6Page(s)
749-760AbstractPurpose: We examined the relationship between economic, physical, and social characteristics of neighborhoods, where men who have sex with men (MSM) lived and socialized, and symptom scores of depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: Participants came from a cross-sectional study of a population-based sample of New York City MSM recruited in 2010–2012 (n = 1126). Archival and survey-based data were obtained on neighborhoods, where the men lived and where they socialized most often. Results: MSM who socialized in neighborhoods with more economic deprivation and greater general neighborhood attachment experienced higher GAD symptoms. The relationship between general attachment to neighborhoods where MSM socialized and mental health depended on the level of gay community attachment: in neighborhoods characterized by greater gay community attachment, general neighborhood attachment was negatively associated with GAD symptoms, while in low gay community attachment neighborhoods, general neighborhood attachment had a positive association with GAD symptoms. Conclusions: This study illustrates the downsides of having deep ties to social neighborhoods when they occur in the absence of broader access to ties with the community of one’s sexual identity. Interventions that help MSM cross the spatial boundaries of their social neighborhoods and promote integration of MSM into the broader gay community may contribute to the reduction of elevated rates of depression and anxiety in this population.No Good Time Without Drugs : Qualitative Study Among Nightlife Attendees in Tbilisi, Georgia
AbstractOmpad, D. C., Kirtadze, I., Mgebrishvili, T., Beselia, A., Gvasalia, T., Chokheli, M., Ompad, D. C., & Otiashvili, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2022Journal title
AdiktologieVolume
22Issue
3Page(s)
152-160AbstractINTRODUCTION: Individuals who visit nightclubs and electronic dance music (EDM) festivals tend to use psychoactive substances, often multiple substances, in this setting and are at risk of serious negative health effects. This paper aims to explore respondents’ experiences and perceptions in order to have a better understanding of patterns and motives related to psychoactive substance use and high-risk behaviours in EDM event attendees. METHODS: In-depth and focus group interviews with 30 EDM event attendees who reported psychoactive substance use at nightlife events. The data was analysed using the Nvivo-v.10 software. RESULTS: Mixing multiple substances to get the desired effects was common. Ecstasy was often combined with Jager (alcohol). Drug use in nightlife settings occurred in a group of friends and was perceived as an essential part of having a good time. Most participants reported that they did not use drugs outside nightlife settings. The dangerous synthetic hallucinogen NBOMe was still on the scene. The respondents had a very low level of knowledge about, and perception of, the risks associated with drug consumption. Knowledge about risk minimisation strategies was very low or non-existent. CONCLUSIONS: Polydrug use and a lack of perceived harmful effects put drug-using nightlife attendees at increased risk of negative health consequences. Future research should focus on identifying strategies to raise the awareness of people who use drugs in nightlife settings and encourage them to employ health protection strategies. Using the social network infrastructure can be thought of as one potentially beneficial approach.Nonmedical opioid use and heroin use in a nationally representative sample of us high school seniors
AbstractPalamar, J. J., Shearston, J. A., Dawson, E. W., Mateu-Gelabert, P., & Ompad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2016Journal title
Drug and alcohol dependenceVolume
158Page(s)
132-138AbstractBackground: Nonmedical use of opioids has become increasingly problematic in recent years with increases in overdoses, treatment admissions, and deaths. Use also appears to be contributing to heroin initiation, which has increased in recent years. Further research is needed to examine which adolescents are at highest risk for nonmedical use of opioids and heroin and to explore potential links between nonmedical opioid use and heroin use. Methods: Data were analyzed from a nationally representative sample of American high school seniors in the Monitoring the Future study (2009-2013, Weighted N = 67,822). We examined associations between frequency and recency of nonmedical use of opioids and heroin. Sociodemographic correlates of use of each drug were also examined. Results: 12.4% of students reported lifetime nonmedical opioid use and 1.2% reported lifetime heroin use. As frequency of lifetime nonmedical opioid use increased, so too did the odds for reporting heroin use, with over three-quarters (77.3%) of heroin users reporting lifetime nonmedical opioid use. Recent (30-day) nonmedical opioid use was a robust risk factor for heroin use and almost a quarter (23.2%) of students who reported using opioids ≥40 times reported lifetime heroin use. Black and Hispanic students were less likely to report nonmedical opioid or heroin use than white students, but they were more likely to report heroin use in absence of nonmedical opioid use. Discussion: Recent and frequent nonmedical opioid use are risk factors for heroin use among adolescents. Prevention needs to be targeted to those at highest risk.On the way to Hepatitis C elimination in the Republic of Georgia—Barriers and facilitators for people who inject drugs for engaging in the treatment program : A formative qualitative study
AbstractChikovani, I., Ompad, D. C., Uchaneishvili, M., Sulaberidze, L., Sikharulidze, K., Hagan, H., & Van Devanter, N. L. (n.d.).Publication year
2019Journal title
PloS oneVolume
14Issue
4AbstractHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant public health concern worldwide. Georgia is among the countries with a high burden of HCV infection. People who inject drugs (PWID) have the highest burden of infection in Georgia. In 2015, the Government of Georgia, with partners’ support, initiated one of the world’s first Hepatitis C Elimination Programs. Despite notable progress, challenges to achieving targets persist. This qualitative study is aimed to better understand some of the barriers and facilitators to HCV testing and treatment services for PWID to inform HCV treatment policies and practices. The study instrument examined social, structural, and individual factors influencing HCV testing and treatment practices. We started with key informant interviews to guide the study instrument development and compare the study findings against health care planners’ and health care providers’ views. Forty PWID with various HCV testing and treatment experiences were recruited through the snowball method. The study found that along with structural factors such as political commitment, co-financing of diagnostic and monitoring tests, and friendly clinic environments, knowledge about HCV infection and elimination program benefits, and support from family and peers also play facilitating roles in accessing testing and treatment services. On the other hand, inability to co-pay for diagnostic tests, fear of side effects associated with treatment, poor knowledge about HCV infection, and lack of social support hampered testing and treatment practices among PWID. Findings from this study are important for increasing the effectiveness of this unique program that targets a population at high risk of HCV infection.Our cities, our health, our future : acting on social determinants for health equity in urban settings : report to the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health from the Knowledge Network on Urban Settings
AbstractOmpad, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2007Abstract~Pandemic preparedness and hard to reach populations
AbstractVlahov, D., Coady, M. H., Galea, S., Ompad, D. C., & Barondess, J. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
American journal of disaster medicineVolume
14Issue
4Page(s)
308-310Abstract~