Gloria D. Sclar, PhD, MPH

Scientific Manager

Research Interests

  • Implementation science and intervention design for real-world settings
  • Community-engaged and mixed methods research
  • Health equity among structurally vulnerable populations

Dr. Gloria D. Sclar is an implementation scientist whose research focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating health interventions for structurally vulnerable populations, with the goal of advancing health equity and reducing disparities. Dr. Sclar often uses community-engaged research approaches to co-create interventions and implementation strategies alongside patients, community partners, clinicians, and other key stakeholders. Out of her background in applied psychology, she also leverages health behavior change theories alongside standard implementation science frameworks. Her research spans healthcare and community settings and frequently involves innovative delivery models.

Dr. Sclar received her MPH in Global Health from Emory University and her PhD in Applied Psychology from the University of Zürich. Early in her career, Dr. Sclar worked in India and Ethiopia on qualitative studies and hybrid type 1 cluster randomized controlled trials focused on water and sanitation interventions. She also led nine systematic reviews that informed the World Health Organization’s first Guidelines on Sanitation and Health.

Since transitioning to U.S.-based healthcare research in 2021, Dr. Sclar has worked on federally funded implementation science studies. She currently serves as Project Director for a five-year SAMHSA-funded street medicine program, is a Co-Investigator on CDC- and NIH-funded projects addressing overdose prevention and neonatal care, and is Principal Investigator on a NNE-CTR pilot study exploring health interventions for commercial fishermen. She also managed a NIH RADxUP study on increasing access to and acceptability of COVID-19 testing.

Complete list of Dr. Sclar’s published work can be found here: My Bibliography – NCBI (nih.gov)

Price G, Thakarar K, Hess AM, Awale S, Ngandu D, Touchette E, Lawlor D, Nicoll L, Fay-LeBlanc R, Volkers A, Fernandes C, Jacobs EA, Fairfield KM, & Sclar GD. Factors Associated with COVID-19 Testing in Structurally Vulnerable Populations: A Pilot Study in Southern Maine. JMMC 2025.

Carpenter EW, Rwaganje C, Kohut M, Jacobs EA, Fairfield KM & Sclar GD. Financial Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Immigrant Communities in Portland Maine: A Qualitative Study. Archives of Public Health 2025; 83(1):48.

Ngandu DN, Sclar GD, Ahmed A, Awale SA, Fernandes C, Goldstein J, Hashmi H, Joshi S, Mallipeddi S, Mudasigana ML, Nicoll L, Parker DE, Price G, Tucker A, Vinton EA, Volkers A, Jacobs EA, & Fairfield KM. Reaching Structurally Vulnerable Populations Using Low-Barrier COVID-19 Testing Clinics Co-Created with Community-Based Organizations. Journal of General Internal Medicine 2024;39(15):3018-3027.

Kohut M, Sclar GD, Nicoll L, Fernandes C, Volkers A, Tucker A, Jacobs EA, Fairfield KM. A Qualitative Study of How Structural Vulnerability Shaped COVID-19 Testing Behaviors in Portland, Maine. Frontiers in Public Health 2024;12:1433476.

Sclar GD, Bauza V, Bisoyi A, Majorin F, Mosler H-J & Clasen TF. Effect of a behavior change and hardware intervention on safe child feces management practices in rural Odisha, India: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health 2024.

Sclar GD, Mosler HJ. Caregiver social support and child toilet training in rural Odisha, India: What types of support facilitate training and how? Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2022; 14:413-33.

Sclar GD, Bauza V, Bisoyi A, Clasen TF, Mosler HJ. Contextual and psychosocial factors influencing caregiver safe disposal of child feces and child latrine training in rural Odisha, India. PLoS One 2022;17: e0274069.

Sclar GD, Routray P, Majorin F, Udaipuria S, Portela G, Koehne III WJ, Nagel CL, Sola S, Caruso BA. Mixed Methods Process Evaluation of a Sanitation Behavior Change Intervention in Rural Odisha, India. Global Implementation Research and Applications 2022; 2:67-84.

Caruso BA, Sclar GD, Routray P, Nagel CL, Majorin F, Sola S, Koehne III WJ, Clasen T. Effect of a low-cost, behaviour-change intervention on latrine use and safe disposal of child faeces in rural Odisha, India: a cluster-randomised controlled trial. Lancet Planet Health 2022;6: e110-e21.

Sclar GD, Penakalapati G, Caruso BA, Rehfuess EA, Garn JV, Alexander KT, Freeman MC, Boisson S, Medlicott K, Clasen T. Exploring the relationship between sanitation and mental and social well-being: A systematic review and qualitative synthesis. Soc Sci Med 2018; 217:121-34.

Sclar GD, Garn JV, Penakalapati G, Alexander KT, Krauss J, Freeman MC, Boisson S, Medlicott KO, Clasen T. Effects of sanitation on cognitive development and school absence: A systematic review. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2017; 220:917-27.