Amy Conroy, PhD

Assistant Professor

I am a behavioral scientist with multidisciplinary training from the fields of public health, psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Broadly, my research seeks to understand and intervene upon health behaviors related to sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and intimate partner violence within international and domestic settings. Specifically, I am interested in dyadic aspects of health within heterosexual and same-sex couples. My primary line of research takes place in southern Africa (Malawi and South Africa) and aims to understand how relationship factors and partner influence shape engagement in HIV care and treatment. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop couples-based interventions for couples living with HIV to improve gender and relationship dynamics, and use of HIV care and treatment. I am also involved with other projects in Southern and East Africa examining how power in relationships affects relationship quality (i.e., intimacy, trust, couple communication) and intimate partner violence. My research is grounded in theory from the field of relationship science, and employs mixed-methods and innovative dyadic analysis techniques (qualitative and quantitative) to understand couple-level health behavior.
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship in AIDS Prevention Studies, 2016 - Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco
Ph.D., 2013 - Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado Denver
M.P.H., 2008 - Public Health, University of Colorado Denver
B.S.E., 2002 - Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa
Honors and Awards
  • K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award, NIMH, 2016-2020
  • Mentored Scientist Award in HIV/AIDS Research, UCSF Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), 2013-2014
  • F31 NRSA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award, NIMH, 2010-2013
Publications
  1. Alcohol use and relationship quality among South African couples.
  2. Couple-Level Dynamics and Multilevel Challenges Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Framework of Dyadic HIV Care.
  3. Couple Interdependence Impacts Alcohol Use and Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Malawi.
  4. Marital infidelity, food insecurity, and couple instability: A web of challenges for dyadic coordination around antiretroviral therapy.
  5. A Conceptual Model of Dyadic Coordination in HIV Care Engagement Among Couples of Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Qualitative Dyadic Analysis.
  6. "If She is Drunk, I Don't Want Her to Take it": Partner Beliefs and Influence on Use of Alcohol and Antiretroviral Therapy in South African Couples.
  7. 'I told her this is your life': relationship dynamics, partner support and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among South African couples.
  8. A longitudinal study of persistent smoking among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men in primary relationships.
  9. Partner Reports of HIV Viral Suppression Predict Sexual Behavior in Serodiscordant Male Couples.
  10. Relationship Power and Sexual Violence Among HIV-Positive Women in Rural Uganda.
  11. Relationship Dynamics and Partner Beliefs About Viral Suppression: A Longitudinal Study of Male Couples Living with HIV/AIDS (The Duo Project).
  12. Power and the association with relationship quality in South African couples: Implications for HIV/AIDS interventions.
  13. How reliable are self-reports of HIV status disclosure? Evidence from couples in Malawi.
  14. Male victims of sexual violence in rural Malawi: the overlooked association with HIV infection.
  15. Marital infidelity and intimate partner violence in rural Malawi: a dyadic investigation.
  16. The influence of relationship power dynamics on HIV testing in rural Malawi.
  17. 'It means there is doubt in the house': perceptions and experiences of HIV testing in rural Malawi.
  18. Programmatic cost evaluation of nontargeted opt-out rapid HIV screening in the emergency department.
  19. Gender, power, and intimate partner violence: a study on couples from rural Malawi.
  20. The social construction of AIDS during a time of evolving access to antiretroviral therapy in rural Malawi.
  21. Gender, Relationship Power, and HIV Testing in Rural Malawi. PhD Dissertation, University of Colorado, Denver: Proquest/UMI
  22. HIV treatment optimism and its predictors among young adults in southern Malawi.
  23. Routine opt-out rapid HIV screening and detection of HIV infection in emergency department patients.
  24. Design and implementation of a controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of routine opt-out rapid human immunodeficiency virus screening in the emergency department.