Amy Conroy, PhD

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.