2008 – PhD – Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
2002 – MPH – Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
1999 – BA – Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley
Academic appointments:
Associate Professor in Residence in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Affiliated researcher at CISIDAT.
Researcher interest:
Impact evaluation and implementation of science.
Prevention and control of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, including PrEP, HIV self-testing, and adherence.
Demand creation for voluntary family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services, especially among adolescent girls and young women.
Human-centered design.
Digital health interventions.
Featured projects:
She leads a portfolio of projects in Tanzania to bolster adherence to antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV infection. In the Afya II project, her team is evaluating the effectiveness of short-term cash transfers provided at treatment initiation that are deployed through a comprehensive digital platform. The solution uses biometric identification to track patients over time and automatically delivers cash transfers to patients using their desired mobile money provider.
She conducted a study in California to develop and pilot an online mHealth intervention (Stick To It) for young gay and bisexual men based on principles of gamification, the use of game elements in non-game settings. The intervention leveraged proven motivational tools from behavioral economics and psychology (incentives, rewards, competition) in a fun, game-like setting.
Publication selection
Effect of health education on birth preparedness and complication readiness on the use of maternal health services: A propensity score-matched analysis. Izudi J, Akwang DG, McCoy SI, Bajunirwe F, Kadengye DT. Midwifery. 2019 Nov;78:78-84.
Interventions to Improve Linkage to HIV Care in the Era of “Treat All” in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Systematic Review. Kelly N, Maokola W, Mudasiru O, McCoy SI. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2019 Aug;16(4):292-303.
Effectiveness of Potential Interventions to Change Gendered Social Norms on Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence in Uganda: a Causal Inference Approach. Kadengye DT, Iddi S, Hunter L, McCoy SI. Prev Sci. 2019 Oct;20(7):1043-1053.
The heterogeneous effect of short-term transfers for improving ART adherence among HIV-infected Tanzanian adults Kadota JL, Fahey CA, Njau PF, Kapologwe N, Padian NS, Dow WH, McCoy SI. AIDS Care. 2018;30(Suppl 3):18-26. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2018.1476666.
Protocol for the evaluation of the population-level impact of Zimbabwe’s prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission program option B+: a community based serial cross-sectional study. Koyuncu A, Dufour MK, McCoy SI, Bautista-Arredondo S, Buzdugan R, Watadzaushe C, Dirawo J, Mushavi A, Mahomva A, Cowan F, Padian N. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019 Jan 8;19(1):15.
Unintended pregnancy and subsequent postpartum long-acting reversible contraceptive use in Zimbabwe. Nance N, Ralph L, Padian N, Cowan F, Buzdugan R, Mushavi A, Mahomva A, McCoy SI. BMC Womens Health. 2018 Nov 26;18(1):193.
Stick To It: pilot study results of an intervention using gamification to increase HIV screening among young men who have sex with men in California. McCoy SI, Buzdugan R, Grimball R, Natoli L, Mejia CM, Klausner JD, McGrath MR. Mhealth. 2018 Sep 25;4:40.
Effects of short-term cash and food incentives on food insecurity and nutrition among HIV-infected adults in Tanzania. Fahey CA, Njau PF, Dow WH, Kapologwe NA, McCoy SI. AIDS. 2019 Mar 1;33(3):515-524.
Do incentives undermine intrinsic motivation? Increases in intrinsic motivation within an incentive-based intervention for people living with HIV in Tanzania. Czaicki NL, Dow WH, Njau PF, McCoy SI. PLoS One. 2018 Jun 14;13(6):e0196616.Hepatitis C antibody prevalence among Mexico City prisoners injecting legal and illegal substances. Silverman-Retana O, Serván-Mori E, McCoy SI, Larney S, Bautista-Arredondo S. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017 Dec 1;181:140-145.
