Charles Cleland

Charles Cleland, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University. As a quantitative psychologist and biostatistician, he leads collaborative public health and health services research focused on vulnerable populations through methodologically rigorous approaches including pragmatic trials and multiphase optimization strategies.

Education:

• PhD from The New School for Social Research

Dr. Cleland's research centers on HIV care continuum interventions, substance use reduction, and health equity. His work develops multicomponent strategies for diagnosis, care engagement, medication adherence, and viral suppression among marginalized groups, while addressing psychosocial consequences of childhood sexual abuse. He employs mixed methods and MOST frameworks to create scalable interventions that address structural barriers in healthcare access.

His 2025 publications reveal consistent methodological innovation across substance use epidemiology, HIV disparities, and implementation science. Key trends include intersectional analyses of Black/Latinx and transgender populations, harm reduction effectiveness in global contexts (Kenya), and behavioral optimization for essential workers during pandemics. His work consistently prioritizes social ecological factors and health equity in intervention design.

Scientific Awards: No awards are documented in the provided profile.

Dr. Cleland directs five active clinical trials including the Person-Centered Quality Measurement and Management in Addictions Treatment series across New York State, and an innovative study on electronic cigarette-enhanced counseling for opioid users. These projects secure substantial funding for evaluating scalable harm reduction systems and HIV care models.

He leads interdisciplinary teams integrating biostatistics, clinical psychology, and community health workers to implement evidence-based practices in real-world settings, with particular focus on nightclub populations, permanent supportive housing, and frontline essential worker cohorts.