Don C Des Jarlais

• Ph.D.
• Professor at New York University

Background Understanding the hepatitis C virus (HCV) cascade of care (CoC) and factors associated with engagement is crucial for designing interventions for achieving HCV elimination. However, data on engagement in the HCV CoC among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the Middle East and North Africa remains limited. We examined the HCV CoC and facto...

Purpose Genital Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2) epidemic is highly active worldwide and can be associated with severe morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and incidence of HSV-2 infection among a vulnerable population of active heroin injectors in Hai Phong, Vietnam, and identify associated risk factors. Method Assoc...

Background Syringe services programs (SSPs) provide harm reduction supplies and services to people who use drugs and are often required by funders or partners to collect data from program participants. SSPs can use these data during monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to inform programmatic decision making, however little is known about facilitators an...

Background Persons who inject drugs (PWID) may be unengaged with healthcare services and face an elevated risk of severe morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 due to chronic diseases and structural inequities. However, data on COVID-19 vaccine uptake, particularly booster vaccination, among PWID are limited. We examined COVID-19 vaccine...

Background The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) is between 50–70%. Prior systematic reviews demonstrated that PWID have similar direct acting antiviral treatment outcomes compared to non-PWID; however, reviews have not examined treatment outcomes by housing status. Given the links between housing and health...

The desired performance of nucleic acid testing (NAT) may vary if used for disease diagnosis or for the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of a treatment, although in most cases, the same assay is used. However, these tests may not be affordable in many situations including in low/middle income countries that in response have developed domestic...

Background Most people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran have not undergone recent HIV testing. While PWID face barriers when seeking HIV testing at health facilities, HIV self-testing (HIVST) could be a promising approach to improve HIV testing uptake. We examined the awareness and willingness to use HIVST among PWID in Iran. We also identified part...

Aims We measured the association between a history of incarceration and HIV positivity among people who inject drugs (PWID) across Europe. Design, Setting and Participants This was a cross‐sectional, multi‐site, multi‐year propensity‐score matched analysis conducted in Europe. Participants comprised community‐recruited PWID who reported a recent i...

Background Since 2019, multiple HIV outbreaks occurred among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Minnesota. Syringe service programs (SSPs) are evidence-based programs that reduce the spread of HIV. We conducted an assessment of characteristics and HIV risk and prevention among clients of a delivery-based SSP near an HIV outbreak in rural, northern M...

The purpose of this study is to test, for the first time, the association between spatial social polarization and incarceration among people who inject drugs (PWID) in 19 large U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in 2015. PWID were recruited from MSAs for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2015 National HIV Behavioral Surveilla...

Background: As the proportion of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl continues to increase in the US, monitoring exposure to and possible changes in intention to use fentanyl among people who use drugs (PWUD) is of great public health importance. This mixed methods study examines intentionality of fentanyl use among persons who inject drugs (P...

Background: We examined non-fatal drug overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in New York City (NYC). Methods: We recruited 275 PWID through respondent driven sampling and staff outreach from Oct. 2021-Sept. 2022 and enrolled in a cross-sectional survey. Information was collected on demographics, drug use be...

Background Despite the evidence of a high rate of unintended pregnancy, there remains limited information about the prevalence and experiences of abortion among female sex workers (FSWs). In response, we aimed to summarize the available evidence on abortion among FSWs. Methods We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Scien...

Background: Towards hepatitis C elimination among people who inject drugs (PWID), we assessed the effectiveness of a strategy consisting of a community-based respondent-driven sampling (RDS) as wide screening, a simplified and integrated hospital-based care, and prevention of reinfection supported by community-based organisations (CBO), in Hai Pho...

Background There has been a significant increase in methamphetamine use among persons who use drugs in Vietnam in the last 5–10 years. We examined the degree to which adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) mediates the relationship between recent methamphetamine use and unsuppressed HIV viral load among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Hai Phon...

We examined gender differences among people who inject drug (PWID) in Hai Phong, Vietnam in term of blood-borne infections, risk behaviors, and access to care. Using respondent-driven-sampling surveys, we recruited 3146 PWID from 2016 to 2018. Inclusion criteria included a positive urine test for heroin and recent injection marks. There were 155 fe...

People who inject drugs (PWID) are a population exposed to many genotoxicants and with a high prevalence of HCV infection. Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens are now widely used to treat chronic HCV infection. Although side effects to treatment are currently rare, the long-term effects such as suspicions of de novo hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC...

Background After the emergence of COVID-19, a one-month strict lockdown was imposed in April 2020 in Vietnam, followed by lighter social distancing restrictions over the year. We investigated whether those measures affected people who inject drugs (PWID) in terms of risk behaviors for HIV and HCV and access to prevention and care in the city of Hai...

Background In most low-to-middle-income countries, HIV control at the population level among people who inject drugs (PWID) remains a major challenge. We aimed to demonstrate that an innovative intervention can identify HIV-positive PWID in the community who are not treated efficiently, and get them treated efficiently. Methods Between 2016 and 20...

Background We explore injecting risk and HIV incidence among PWID in New York City (NYC), from 2012-2019, when incidence was extremely low, <0.1/100 person-years at risk, and during disruption of prevention services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We developed an Agent-Based model (ABM) to simulate sharing injecting equipment and measure HIV...

Even though vaccination is the most effective measure against COVID-19 infections, vaccine rollout efforts have been hampered by growing anti-vaccine attitudes. Based on current knowledge, we identified three domains (beliefs, discrimination, and news) as our correlates of primary interest to examine the association with anti-vaccine attitudes. Thi...

Background: Unintentional drug overdose has increased markedly in the United States. Studies document an association between psychiatric disorder and unintentional overdose; we extend this research through a preliminary test of a causal model of recurrent injection drug use mediating this relationship. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 241...

This study explored factors associated with durable viral suppression (DVS) among two groups of people living with HIV (PLWH) and problem substance use in the context of universal antiretroviral treatment initiation. Participants (N = 99) were recruited between 2014–2017 from public sexual health clinics [SHC] and a hospital detoxification unit [de...

Introduction The COVID-19 outbreak disproportionally affects vulnerable populations including people who inject drugs (PWID). Social distancing and stay-at-home orders might result in a lack of access to medical and social services, poorer mental health, and financial precariousness, and thus, increases in HIV and HCV risk behaviors. This article e...

To control the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and prevent further verbal and physical discrimination against individuals affected by, or perceived to be responsible for, COVID-19, proactive efforts must be made to ameliorate stigmatizing attitudes. This study seeks to examine whether key socio-behavioral factors including news consumption...

Non-adherence to COVID-19 guidelines may be attributable to low levels of worry. This study assessed whether endorsing COVID-19-stigmatizing restrictions, COVID-19 knowledge, and preferred news source were associated with being ‘very worried’ versus ‘not at all’ or ‘somewhat’ worried about contracting COVID-19. Survey data were collected in July–Au...

Antiviral nucleoside analogues (ANA) are newly used therapeutics acting against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This class of drug is well known to exhibit toxicity on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). People who inject drugs (PWID) are particularly affected by HCV infection and cumulated mitotoxic drug exposure from HIV treatments (antiretrovirals, ARV) and...

This study examined overall and gender-specific associations between place-based characteristics and opposite-sex exchange sex among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the U.S. PWID were recruited from 19 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2012 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance. Administrati...

Background The 2008 Recession was a global event that led to funding cuts for programs and services in the United States; though this recession officially ended in 2009, its aftershocks continued through 2012. We evaluated the relationship between the severity of the Great Recession's aftermath and spatial access to combined prevention services (i....

Objective : To estimate the residual mortality rate among people who inject drugs (PWID) in a Low-Middle Income Countries context where the HIV epidemic has been controlled and methadone coverage is high. Study design and setting : PWID from Haiphong, Vietnam, were recruited through three annual respondent-driven sampling surveys that fueled two c...

Introduction: Many trans women of color communities experience high HIV seroprevalence, extreme poverty, high rates of victimization and substance use, and poor mental health. Greater knowledge of trans women of color social capital may contribute toward more effective services for this marginalized population. Methods: These data come from a mixed...

Background Between December 2018 and January of 2019, we evaluated the accuracy of the point-of-care Hepatitis C (HCV) antibody test (POC; OraQuick HCV) used at a community-based needle and syringe exchange program serving persons who inject drugs in Tallinn, Estonia. Methods We compared the results of screening for HCV antibodies by OraQuick (ora...

Background: Many people use opioids and are at risk of overdose. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist used to counter the effects of opioid overdose. There is an increased availability of naloxone in New York City; however, many who use opioids decline no-cost naloxone even when offered. Others may have the medication but opt not to carry it and report...

Introduction In Vietnam, people who inject drugs (PWID), who are the major population infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV), remain largely undiagnosed and unlinked to HCV prevention and care despite recommended universal hepatitis C treatment. The data on the outcomes of HCV treatment among PWID also remain limited in resource-limited settings. The...

Objective We aim to show the feasibility of using an integrated prevention and care continuum (PCC) model as a complete and improved tool for HIV control measurement and programming. Alignment of prevention and care continua is essential to further improve health outcomes and minimize HIV transmission risk. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods D...

According to 2012 universal ART guidelines, as part of “treatment as prevention” (TasP), all people living with HIV (PLWH) should immediately initiate antiretroviral therapy post-diagnosis to facilitate viral suppression. PLWH who are virally suppressed have no risk of sexually transmitting HIV. This study used descriptive analysis of quantitative...

Objective: To determine whether it is possible to 'end an HIV epidemic' among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in a low/middle income country. Design: Serial cross-sectional surveys with a cohort of HIV seronegative participants with 6-month follow-up visits recruited from surveys. Methods: Surveys of PWID using respondent driven and snowball s...

People who inject drugs (PWID) are a dominant risk group afflicted by blood-borne viruses, mental health disorders, and social precariousness. Risk reduction interventions are administered to PWID regardless of their characteristics or specific risks. The objective of this cross-sectional analysis was to empirically identify profiles of PWID regard...

Background The spread of illicitly manufactured fentanyl has the potential to greatly increase the fatal overdoses in many places in the world. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the evolution of fentanyl use epidemic in Estonia. Methods this scoping review is based on extensive review and synthesis of broad range of literature: research repo...

In Vietnam, harm reduction programs to control HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) were implemented approximately 10 years ago. Since then, the HIV prevalence has declined in this population, however, the impact of these programs on the rate of new HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) infections remains unknown as high mortality can exceed the rate of ne...

Background: Aristotle was a seek-test-treat intervention during an outbreak of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Athens, Greece that started in 2011. The aims of this analysis were: (1) to study changes of drug injection-related and sexual behaviors over the course of Aristotle; and (2) to compare...

Background Achievement of HIV control among key populations through universal access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) requires a precise evaluation of the cascade of care. One of the main difficulties in obtaining an accurate community-based cascade of care is misreporting, which could represent one of the most important bias for people suffering...

Background: Understanding the patterns of HIV/AIDS epidemics is crucial to tracking and monitoring the progress of prevention and control efforts in countries. We provide a comprehensive assessment of the levels and trends of HIV/AIDS incidence, prevalence, mortality, and coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 1980-2017 and forecast these est...

This study examines self-reported 30-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among 101 people living with HIV and substance use disorders (SUD) in New York City in terms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual – 5th Edition (DSM-5) SUD symptom clusters: impaired control, social impairment, risky use and pharmacological criteria. Overall, 60.4% met...

Aims: To identify geographic "hotspots" for potential transmission of HIV and HCV and for drug overdose among persons who use heroin and cocaine in New York City and to examine historical continuities in problem drug use hotspots in the city. Methods: A total of 2714 study participants were recruited among persons entering Beth Israel substance...

We tested the hypothesis that an updated “Break the Cycle” (BtC) intervention, based in social cognitive theory and motivational interviewing, would reduce the likelihood that current persons who inject drugs (PWID) would assist persons who do not inject drugs (non-PWID) with first injections in Tallinn, Estonia and Staten Island, New York City. 40...

Our proof-of-concept study tested a simple cognitive-behavioral strategy to help people achieve substance use goals – using non-first person self-talk when facing substance use cues or cravings – based on experimental psychology research that draws on the concept of self-distancing and is consistent with mindfulness principles. We evaluated partici...

Background: There are too many plausible permutations and scale-up scenarios of combination hepatitis C (HCV) interventions for exhaustive testing in experimental trials. Therefore, we used computer simulation to project the health and economic impact of alternative combination intervention scenarios for people who inject drugs (PWID), focusing on...

This exploratory analysis investigates relationships of place characteristics to HIV testing among people who inject drugs (PWID). We used CDC's 2012 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) data among PWID from 19 US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs); we restricted the analytic sample to PWID self-reporting being HIV negative (N = 7477). Ad...

OBJECTIVES To use the estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 to describe patterns of suicide mortality globally, regionally, and for 195 countries and territories by age, sex, and Socio-demographic index, and to describe temporal trends between 1990 and 2016. DESIGN Systematic analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Crude and age standardis...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is endemic in people who inject drugs (PWID), with prevalence estimates above 60% for PWID in the United States. Previous modeling studies suggest that direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment can lower overall prevalence in this population, but treatment is often delayed until the onset of advanced liver disease (f...

Scant research has explored place-based correlates of achieving and maintaining HIV viral load suppression among heterosexuals living with HIV. We conducted multilevel analyses to examine associations between United Hospital Fund (UHF)-level characteristics and individual-level viral suppression and durable viral suppression among individuals with...

Background: Assessments of age-specific mortality and life expectancy have been done by the UN Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNPOP), the United States Census Bureau, WHO, and as part of previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). Previous iterations of the GBD used...

Background Global development goals increasingly rely on country-specific estimates for benchmarking a nation's progress. To meet this need, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016 estimated global, regional, national, and, for selected locations, subnational cause-specific mortality beginning in the year 1980. He...

Background The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017) includes a comprehensive assessment of incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) for 354 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2017. Previous GBD studies have shown how the decline of mortality rates from 1990 to 2016 has le...

Background The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 comparative risk assessment (CRA) is a comprehensive approach to risk factor quantification that offers a useful tool for synthesising evidence on risks and risk–outcome associations. With each annual GBD study, we update the GBD CRA to incorporate improved method...

Background Assessments of age-specific mortality and life expectancy have been done by the UN Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNPOP), the United States Census Bureau, WHO, and as part of previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). Previous iterations of the GBD used...

Background How long one lives, how many years of life are spent in good and poor health, and how the population's state of health and leading causes of disability change over time all have implications for policy, planning, and provision of services. We comparatively assessed the patterns and trends of healthy life expectancy (HALE), which quantifi...

The objective of this study is to describe psychiatric comorbidities, associated factors, and access to psychiatric assessment and care in a cohort of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Mental health was assessed after 12 months’ follow-up using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview questionnaire (MINI 5.0.0). PWID me...

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability, but its overall association with health remains complex given the possible protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption on some conditions. With our comprehensive approach to health accounting within the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016,...

Methamphetamine use has increased significantly in Southeast Asia in the last 5–10 years, but there is little research on risk behaviors associated with the increase in this region. We evaluate injection and sexual risk behaviors associated with current methamphetamine use among heterosexual persons who inject drugs (PWID) in Hai Phong, Vietnam. We...

Objective: Assess hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and incidence among person who began injecting drugs during the opioid epidemic in New York City (NYC) and identify possible new directions for reducing HCV infection among persons who inject drugs. Methods: 846 persons who began injecting drugs between 2000 and 2017 were recruited from person...

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF), a category of synthetic opioids 50-100 times more potent than morphine, is increasingly being added to heroin and other drugs in the United States (US). Persons who use drugs (PWUD) are frequently unaware of the presence of fentanyl in drugs. Use of heroin and other drugs containing fentanyl has been linked to...

The objective of this study is to describe psychiatric comorbidities, associated factors and access to psychiatric assessment and care in a cohort of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Mental health was assessed after 12 months' follow-up using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview questionnaire (MINI 5.0.0). PWID med...

Background: Transitioning from non-injection to injection drug use dramatically escalates health risks. Evidence suggests that people who inject drugs (PWID) help in a majority of others' first injections, yet these helpers represent only a minority of experienced PWID. Recent research has provided insight into this helping process, as reported by...

Purpose of review: To describe a small city/rural area HIV prevention project (the Cross Border Project) implemented in Ning Ming County, Guangxi Province, China, and Lang Son province, Vietnam, and consider its implications for addressing the opioid/heroin epidemic in small cities/rural areas in the USA. The description and the outcomes of the Cr...

We investigated the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism designated rs12979860 in the interferon‐lambda‐4 (IFNλ4) gene among 345 people who inject drugs (PWID) and 495 blood donors to evaluate associations between the rs12979860 genotypes and HIV/HCV. The rs12979860 TT genotype was overrepresented among HIV+ PWID than HIV‐ PWID and blood do...

We examined the potential for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) transmission across persons who inject drugs (PWID), men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and female commercial sex workers (CSW) PWID and the potential for sexual transmission of HIV from PWID to the general population in Hai Phong, Viet Nam. Using respondent driven and convenience sampling we rec...