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
Vaccine disparities can be overcome
Ompad, D., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.). In Baltimore Sun (1–).Publication year
2005Acceptance and completion of hepatitis B vaccination among drug users in New York City.
AbstractOmpad, D. C., Galea, S., Wu, Y., Fuller, C. M., Latka, M., Koblin, B., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2004Journal title
Communicable disease and public health / PHLSVolume
7Issue
4Page(s)
294-300AbstractHepatitis B (HBV) vaccination rates remain low among drug users. We examined correlates of vaccine acceptance and completion in two ongoing prospective studies of young injecting and non-injecting drug users in New York City. Street recruited drug users were enrolled at one of two neighbourhood locations (Harlem and the Bronx) between 2000 and 2004 and completed risk behaviour questionnaires and HBV testing. Free HBV vaccination was offered. Among 1117 participants, 26.1% (275) had a previous HBV infection, 57.9% (610) were susceptible to HBV, and 16.0% (169) had serological evidence of previous vaccination. Of the 610 participants susceptible to HBV, 466 (76.4%) returned for their results and were offered vaccination; 53.9% (251) received at least one dose of the vaccine (acceptors). Correlates of vaccine acceptance included older age, public assistance as main income source, and being recruited in the Bronx. Daily crack users were significantly less likely to initiate the vaccine series. Among 240 vaccine acceptors, 98 (40.8%) completed all three doses. Daily injectors, Hispanics, and those recruited in Harlem were less likely to complete the vaccination series. HBV vaccination acceptance among drug users seems likely in programmes that are convenient and offer remuneration; however, extended efforts are needed to improve series completion.Club drug use among minority substance users in New York City
AbstractOmpad, D. C., Galea, S., Fuller, C. M., Phelan, D., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2004Journal title
Journal of Psychoactive DrugsVolume
36Issue
3Page(s)
397-399AbstractSurveillance data suggests that club drug use (Ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, LSD, methamphetamine, PCP and flunitrazepam) has been a predominantly White adolescent and young adult phenomenon in the United States. The authors investigated the use of club drugs among 323 streetrecruited minority substance users in northern New York City (66.3% were Hispanic, 23.8% were Black, and 9.9% were White/other race; median age = 32 years old). While Whites were more likely than others to have used club drugs, club drug use among Hispanics and Blacks was not uncommon; 45.3% Hispanics and 56.4% of Blacks reported a lifetime history of club drug use. PCP was the most commonly reported club drug used among all racial/ethnic groups. Further investigation of club drug use in minority populations is warranted.Explaining the relationship between race/ethnicity and pharmacy purchased syringes among injection drug users in New York City
AbstractFuller, C. M., Galea, S., Blaney, S., Ompad, D. C., Deren, S., Des Jarlais, D., & Vlahor, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2004Journal title
Ethnicity and DiseaseVolume
14Issue
4Page(s)
589-596AbstractObjective: Pharmacy syringe sales without a prescription became legal in New York State on January 1, 2001 through the Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP). At the same time, Pharmacy use among Black and Hispanic injection drug users was found to be significantly lower when compared to Whites. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that could explain the relationship between race/ethnicity and pharmacy use. Design: Data were combined from 2 on-going injection drug user (IDU) studies in 2 New York City neighborhoods. Social and behavioral factors independently associated with ever purchasing a nonprescription syringe in the past 6 months and examined using cross-sectional logistic regression. Results: Of 337 IDUs, the majority were male (79%). Hispanic (73%) and had a mean age of 35 years. In bivariate analysis, IDUs who reported pharmacy use were less likely to be Black or Hispanic, older, and to have reported recent syringe exchange program (SEP) attendance compared to non-pharmacy users. Additionally, pharmacy users were more likely to have knowledge of ESAP, and report discrimination by police in the past year compared to non-users. After adjustment for recent SEP attendance (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.14-0.55), ESAP knowledge (AOR= 13.11; 95% CI=6.54-26.31), discrimination by police (AOR=3.56; 95% CI=1.73-7.35), and discrimination due to race (AOR=0.25, 95% CI=0.11-0.58), race/ethnicity was not a significant predictor of pharmacy use. Conclusions: Race/ethnicity may not be an important determinant of ESAP when more salient social circumstances, such as past discrimination, are considered. Educational efforts should be enhanced to reach those who continue to perceive barriers to ESAP.Hepatitis C Incidence - A Comparison between Injection and Noninjection Drug Users in New York City
AbstractFuller, C. M., Ompad, D. C., Galea, S., Wu, Y., Koblin, B., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2004Journal title
Journal of Urban HealthVolume
81Issue
1Page(s)
20-24AbstractHepatitis C virus (HCV) burdens injection drug users (IDUs) with prevalence estimated from 60-100% compared to around 5% among noninjection drug users (non-IDUs). We present preliminary data comparing the risk for HCV among IDUs and non-IDUs to inform new avenues of HCV prevention and intervention planning. Two cohorts, new IDUs (injecting ≤3 years) and non-IDUs (smoke/sniff heroine, crack or cocaine ≤10 years), ages 15-40, were street-recruited in New York City. Participants underwent risk surveys and HCV serology at baseline and 6-month follow-up visits. Person-time analysis was used to estimate annual HCV incidence. Of 683 non-IDUs, 653 were HCV seronegative, 422 returned for at least 1 follow-up visit, and 1 became HCV seropositive. Non-IDUs contributed 246.3 person-years (PY) yielding an annual incident rate of 0.4/100 PY (95% Confidence Interval [CI]=0.0-1.2). Of 260 IDUs, 114 were HCV seronegative, 62 returned for at least 1 follow-up visit, and 13 became HCV seropositive. IDUs contributed 36.3 PY yielding an annual incidence rate of 35.9/100 PY (95%CI=19.1-61.2). Among IDUs, HCV seroconverters tended to be younger (median age 25 vs. 28, respectively), and inject more frequently (61.5% vs. 34.7%, respectively) than nonseroconverters. These interim data suggest that IDUs may have engaged in high-risk practices prior to being identified for prevention services. Preventing or at least delaying transition into injection could increase opportunity to intervene. Identifying risk factors for transition into injection could inform early prevention to reduce onset of injection and risk of HCV.Updating the Infection Risk Reduction Hierarchy: Preventing Transition into Injection
AbstractVlahov, D., Fuller, C. M., Ompad, D. C., Galea, S., & Des Jarlais, D. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2004Journal title
Journal of Urban HealthVolume
81Issue
1Page(s)
14-19AbstractCurrent approaches to prevention of blood-borne infections in injection drug users include referral to drug abuse treatment, access to sterile syringes, bleach disinfection of injection equipment, and education about not sharing equipment. However, rates of some blood-borne infections (e.g., hepatitis C virus) remain elevated among injection drug users, especially early after initiation into injection drug use. With lower infection rates in noninjectors and transition into injection drug use occurring most commonly among these noninjectors, prevention of transition into injection drug use as an additional step to reduce risk for acquisition and transmission of blood-borne infections merits closer attention.For the patient. Does discrimination affect the mental health of substance abusers?
Minior, T., Galea, S., Stuber, J., Ahern, J., & Ompad, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2003Journal title
Ethnicity & diseaseVolume
13Issue
4Page(s)
549-550HIV Prevalence, Risk Behaviors, and High-Risk Sexual and Injection Networks among Young Women Injectors Who Have Sex with Women
Friedman, S. R., Ompad, D. C., Maslow, C., Young, R., Case, P., Hudson, S. M., Diaz, T., Morse, E., Bailey, S., Des Jarlais, D. C., Perlis, T., Hollibaugh, A., & Garfein, R. S. (n.d.).Publication year
2003Journal title
American journal of public healthVolume
93Issue
6Page(s)
902-906Racial differences in discrimination experiences and responses among minority substance users
AbstractMinior, T., Galea, S., Stuber, J., Ahern, J., & Ompad, D. (n.d.).Publication year
2003Journal title
Ethnicity and DiseaseVolume
13Issue
4Page(s)
521-527AbstractObjectives: Discrimination is associated with both mental and physical health, and may be a particularly important determinant of health among marginalized groups. This study assessed differences in discrimination experiences and responses to discrimination between Black and Latino active substance users in New York City. Methods: 500 Black and 419 Latino active substance users were recruited through outreach workers, service agencies, and word of mouth. We collected data about different types of discrimination experienced (eg, discrimination due to race, gender, substance use), the domains in which it occurred (eg, at work, with police), and participants' responses to unfair treatment. Results: Discrimination due to drug use was the most commonly reported type of discrimination among both Blacks and Latinos. Black respondents were more likely than Latinos to report discrimination due to their drug use (79% to 70%), race (39% to 23%), poverty (38% to 26%), gender (18% to 9%), and sexual orientation (38% to 6%). However, among those reporting discrimination due to drug use, Latinos experienced more rejection from family (81% to 70%), friends (73% to 60%), police (86% to 79%), employers (72% to 56%), and medical care professionals (29% to 18%). Black respondents were more likely to respond actively to discrimination, whereas Latino respondents were more likely to internalize experiences. Conclusions: Substantial differences exist in discrimination experiences and responses to discrimination between Black and Latino substance users. These differences may help explain racial and ethnic differences in health among marginalized populations, and identify avenues for effective, targeted intervention.RE: A Drug Feared in the 70's Is Tied to Suspect in Killings
Ompad, D., & Vlahov, D. (n.d.). In New York Times (1–).Publication year
2003Social circumstances of initiation of injection drug use and early shooting gallery attendance: Implications for HIV intervention among adolescent and young adult injection drug users
AbstractFuller, C. M., Vlahov, D., Latkin, C. A., Ompad, D. C., Celentano, D. D., & Strathdee, S. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2003Journal title
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency SyndromesVolume
32Issue
1Page(s)
86-93AbstractTo determine correlates of early shooting gallery (SG) attendance and HIV prevalence and incidence among new injection drug users (IDUs), baseline data from a prospective cohort study of street-recruited IDUs aged 15 to 30 years and injecting ≤55 years were used to identify early high-risk practices and salient social circumstances associated with early SG attendance to help in the design of innovative intervention strategies. Of 226 IDUs, 10.6% were HIV-seropositive, and HIV incidence was 6.6 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 2.2-13.3). Median age was 25 years, and most participants were African American (64%) and female (61%). Using multiple logistic regression, early SG attendees were three times as likely to be HIV-seropositive and twice as likely to be initiated by an older IDU. Early SG attendees were also five times more likely to share injection equipment and over three times more likely to report a high-risk injecting network soon after initiating injection. These data suggest that young new IDUs who attend SGs early tend to be initiated by older high-risk IDUs and to share and inject within a high-risk social setting early on as well. Hence, older IDUs may serve as a bridge group to SGs, transmitting HIV from older to younger IDUs.High-risk behaviors associated with transition from illicit non-injection to injection drug use among adolescent and young adult drug users: A case-control study
AbstractFuller, C. M., Vlahov, D., Ompad, D. C., Shah, N., Arria, A., & Strathdee, S. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2002Journal title
Drug and alcohol dependenceVolume
66Issue
2Page(s)
189-198AbstractObjective: The goal of our study was to elucidate characteristics of persons likely to transition into injection drug use so that an identifiable group with high-risk for blood-borne infection may be targeted for interventions. Methods: An age-matched case-control analysis was performed from a cohort study in Baltimore, 1997-1999, of street-recruited non-injection and injection drug users (IDUs), aged 15-30. Cases were IDUs injecting ≤2 years and controls were age-matched persons who used non-injection heroin, cocaine or crack. At baseline, all were interviewed about prior year-by-year behaviors; analysis using conditional logistic regression was based on information for the year prior to injection onset for the case and the same calendar time for the controls as well as recent behaviors for both groups. Results: Of 270 participants, most were African American (78%), female (61%), and HIV seroprevalence was 7% at baseline. IDUs were significantly more likely than controls to be non-African American (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.09) and report high school dropout (AOR=2.32), early sex-trading (AOR=2.72), and recent violence victimization (AOR=9.28). Conclusion: Given that new injectors are at high-risk for HIV and hepatitis yet difficult to reach for prevention efforts, our data suggest some categories to use to target non-injectors who are likely to transition into injection use.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.Factors associated with adolescent initiation of injection drug use
AbstractFuller, C. M., Vlahov, D., Arria, A. M., Ompad, D. C., Garfein, R., & Strathdee, S. A. (n.d.).Publication year
2001Journal title
Public Health ReportsVolume
116Page(s)
136-145AbstractObjective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which demographic, sexual, and non-injection drug use practices predict adolescent initiation of injection drug use. Methods. Street recruited injection drug users 15-30 years of age in Baltimore, Maryland, who initiated injection within five years of study enrollment, completed a questionnaire that included a year-by-year history regarding the five years prior to initiation of injection. Factors associated with initiation during adolescence (≤21 years of age) versus young adulthood (>21) were determined using logistic regression. Results. Of 226 participants, most were female (61%) and African American (64%). Median age of participants was 25; median age at initiation of injection was 23. Factors significantly associated with adolescent initiation in multivariate analysis included race other than African American, and practices prior to initiating injection including condom use, lack of cocaine use, exclusive crack smoking just prior to initiation, and smoking marijuana. Adolescent initiates also had shorter durations of illicit drug use prior to initiating injection. Conclusion. Short-term non-injection drug use, particularly exclusive crack smoking, was associated with adolescent initiation of injection drug use. Early prevention efforts targeting this high-risk group of younger drug users are warranted in order to delay or prevent onset of injection drug use.