Benjamin Howell, MD, MPH, MHS
Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Medicine)Cards
Appointments
Contact Info
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Medicine)
Biography
Benjamin A. Howell, MD, MPH, MHS grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University. He received his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco along with a Masters of Public Health from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. He completed residency and chief residency in the Internal Medicine-Primary Care residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Following residency, he completed a health services research post-doctoral fellowship in the Yale School of Medicine's National Clinician Scholars Program. Dr. Howell is interested in improving the health outcomes of individuals, families, and communities impacted by mass incarceration, increasing access to harm reduction strategies for addiction, and developing innovative models of primary care delivery.
Appointments
General Internal Medicine
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- MHS
- Yale School of Medicine (2020)
- Chief Resident, Advocacy and Community Health
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (2017)
- Resident
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (2016)
- MD
- University of California, San Francisco, Sch of Med (2013)
- MPH
- University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health (2012)
- BA
- Columbia University (2002)
Board Certifications
Addiction Medicine (Preventive Medicine)
- Certification Organization
- AB of Preventive Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2022
Internal Medicine
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2016
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
David Fiellin, MD
Anne C. Black, PhD
Gail D'Onofrio, MD, MS
Robert Heimer, PhD
Lauretta Grau, PhD
Lisa Puglisi, MD
Opioid-Related Disorders
Prisons
Opiate Overdose
Jails
Publications
Featured Publications
Evaluation of Changes in US Health Insurance Coverage for Individuals With Criminal Legal Involvement in Medicaid Expansion and Nonexpansion States, 2010 to 2017
Howell BA, Hawks L, Wang EA, Winkelman TNA. Evaluation of Changes in US Health Insurance Coverage for Individuals With Criminal Legal Involvement in Medicaid Expansion and Nonexpansion States, 2010 to 2017. JAMA Health Forum 2022, 3: e220493. PMID: 35977325, PMCID: PMC8994123, DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.0493.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsA prospective cohort study examining exposure to incarceration and cardiovascular disease (Justice-Involved Individuals Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology – JUSTICE study): a protocol paper
Howell BA, Puglisi LB, Aminawung J, Domingo KB, Elumn J, Gallagher C, Horton N, Kazi DS, Krumholz HM, Lin HJ, Roy B, Wang EA. A prospective cohort study examining exposure to incarceration and cardiovascular disease (Justice-Involved Individuals Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology – JUSTICE study): a protocol paper. BMC Public Health 2022, 22: 331. PMID: 35172807, PMCID: PMC8848673, DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12688-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCardiovascular risk factorsProspective cohort studyRisk factorsCardiovascular diseaseCardiovascular riskCohort studyCVD riskPsychosocial factorsCVD risk factor controlRisk factor controlClinical risk factorsTraditional risk factorsHealth care useIncarceration exposureIndex releaseCVD morbidityCVD incidenceJail/prisonCare useDiscussionOur studyLeading causeClinical measuresPsychosocial stressEpidemiology studiesProtocol paperThe Stigma of Criminal Legal Involvement and Health: a Conceptual Framework
Howell BA, Earnshaw VA, Garcia M, Taylor A, Martin K, Fox AD. The Stigma of Criminal Legal Involvement and Health: a Conceptual Framework. Journal Of Urban Health 2022, 99: 92-101. PMID: 35031942, PMCID: PMC8866593, DOI: 10.1007/s11524-021-00599-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and Concepts
2024
T50 Receipt of Prescribed Opioids and Benzodiazepines After Non-Fatal Overdose and Risk of Subsequent Overdose
Howell B, Black A, Lin H, Lauretta G, Heimer R, Hawk K, D'Onofrio G, Fiellin D, Becker W. T50 Receipt of Prescribed Opioids and Benzodiazepines After Non-Fatal Overdose and Risk of Subsequent Overdose. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110499. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110499.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsT42 Treatment Setting Among Individuals With Opioid Use and Criminal Legal Involvement, Housing Instability, or Medicaid Insurance, 2015-2020
Shearer R, Howell B, Khatri U, Winkelman T. T42 Treatment Setting Among Individuals With Opioid Use and Criminal Legal Involvement, Housing Instability, or Medicaid Insurance, 2015-2020. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110491. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110491.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBuprenorphine-naloxone vs. extended-release naltrexone for opioid use disorder in individuals with and without criminal legal involvement: A secondary analysis of the X:BOT randomized controlled trial
Balter D, Puglisi L, Dziura J, Fiellin D, Howell B. Buprenorphine-naloxone vs. extended-release naltrexone for opioid use disorder in individuals with and without criminal legal involvement: A secondary analysis of the X:BOT randomized controlled trial. Journal Of Substance Use And Addiction Treatment 2024, 164: 209438. PMID: 38857827, PMCID: PMC11300157, DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2024.209438.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsXR-NTXBuprenorphine-naloxoneOpioid use disorderCriminal legal involvementUse disorderHazard of overdoseLifetime incarcerationLegal involvementOpioid use disorder treatment outcomesPer-protocol analysisExtended-release naltrexoneMOUD effectivenessTreatment outcomesEffects of medicationHazard of relapseSecondary analysisIntention-to-treat analysisIntention-to-treatRandomized controlled trialsEffects of MOUDRelapseControlled trialsDisordersOpioidPotential effect modifiersPrescription Opioid Dose Change Prior to Fatal Opioid-Detected Overdose.
Kazemitabar M, Howell B, Becker W, Lin H, Grau L, Heimer R, D'Onofrio G, Hawk K, Fiellin D, Black A. Prescription Opioid Dose Change Prior to Fatal Opioid-Detected Overdose. Journal Of Studies On Alcohol And Drugs 2024 PMID: 38775307, DOI: 10.15288/jsad.24-00026.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrescribed opioidsOpioid dose changesRapid dose increaseNon-HispanicOverdose deathsToxicological resultsNon-prescription opioidsBlack non-HispanicMorphine equivalentsOpioid therapyWhite non-HispanicDose changesDaily doseMean ageDispensed opioidsPrescription opioidsPrescribing patternsOpioidDose increaseOpioid overdose crisisIncreasing dosesStudy investigated patternsEffect of timeEffects of ageSecondary analysisRacial and Ethnic Differences in Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine Use, Treatment, and Mortality Trends in 3 National Data Sources—United States, 2010-2019
Shearer R, Segel J, Howell B, Jones A, Khatri U, da Silva D, Vest N, Winkelman T. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine Use, Treatment, and Mortality Trends in 3 National Data Sources—United States, 2010-2019. Medical Care 2024, 62: 151-160. PMID: 38180005, PMCID: PMC10922552, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001969.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsOverdose deathsSubstance useTreatment admissionsCocaine useTreatment Episode Data Set-AdmissionsOverdose crisisMultiple causesMultiple substancesComprehensive surveillance dataCross-sectional analysisSubstance-related measuresPublic health officialsEthnic groupsRate of useSelf-reported useTreatment strategiesDeath filesNational data sourcesOverdose mortalityDrug useSpecific substancesMortality trendsSurveillance dataAdmissionEffective prevention
2023
Understanding Regional Patterns of Overdose Deaths Related to Opioids and Psychostimulants
Segel J, Shearer R, Jones A, Khatri U, Howell B, Crowley D, Sterner G, Vest N, da Silva D, Winkelman T. Understanding Regional Patterns of Overdose Deaths Related to Opioids and Psychostimulants. Substance Use & Misuse 2023, 59: 558-566. PMID: 38037904, PMCID: PMC10923074, DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2287220.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsOverdose mortalityHigh opioidCross-sectional observational studyOverdose mortality ratesOverdose patternsConcurrent opioidIndex percentileObservational studyOpioidsOverdose ratesUnadjusted modelsOverdose deathsMortality filesMortality rateDisease preventionPercentage point increaseSVI scoresMortalityOverdose crisisPsychostimulantsMultiple substancesTreatment planningSubstantial regional variationPoint increaseAccess centerReceipt of opioid use disorder treatments prior to fatal overdoses and comparison to no treatment in Connecticut, 2016–17
Heimer R, Black A, Lin H, Grau L, Fiellin D, Howell B, Hawk K, D'Onofrio G, Becker W. Receipt of opioid use disorder treatments prior to fatal overdoses and comparison to no treatment in Connecticut, 2016–17. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2023, 254: 111040. PMID: 38043226, PMCID: PMC10872282, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNon-medication treatmentsRelative riskOpioid overdose deathsIncidence rateMOUD treatmentOverdose deathsOpioid use disorder treatmentResults Incidence ratesRetrospective cohort studyDifferent treatment modalitiesPopulation-level effortsUse disorder treatmentFatal opioid poisoningsCohort studyOpioid poisoningTreatment modalitiesConclusion ExposurePoisoning deathsFatal overdosesTreatment exposureDisorder treatmentDeathTreatmentMethadoneRisk
Links & Media
News
- August 20, 2024
Cause of Death After Prison Release Differs From General Population
- April 30, 2024
Amid Opioid Overdose Crisis, Yale Program in Addiction Medicine Advises State on Drug Company Settlement Spending
- February 23, 2024
Department of Internal Medicine Promotions and Appointments (February 2024)
- January 11, 2024Source: CT Mirror
For progress, put Connecticut lawmakers and researchers in the same room