Professor Sara MacLennan | The School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

Professor Sara MacLennan

PhD CPsychol AFBPsS

Personal Chair

Email Address: s.maclennan@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number: +44 (0)1224 438125
Office Address: Academic Urology Unit Health Sciences Building (2nd Floor) University of Aberdeen Foresterhill Aberdeen AB25 2ZD
School/Department: School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

Biography

I am a psychosocial oncologist and a health psychologist with expertise in qualitative research methodology. I pursue an interdisciplinary approach building multi-stakeholder working in cancer care and have established global partnerships of academics, patients, non-profit organisations, professional organisations and policy makers.

Aberdeen Applied Cancer Research Group (ICANTREAT):

I lead the Aberdeen Applied Cancer Research Group (ICANTREAT)

https://icantreat.org/

The group's research strategy focuses on understanding the impact of cancer and treatment on individual’s lives and methods for involving different stakeholder groups, particularly patients, in the design and delivery of care.

I am Deputy Director of the Academic Urology Unit, Director of Operations for UCAN (Urological CANcer charity) and hold an honorary contract with NHS Grampian. I am an Honorary Research Fellow, Birkbeck University of London. I am a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and a registered health psychologist (Health & Care Professions Council).

Current projects include:

Stakeholder engagement in the design and implementation of cancer care:

ICANBE – Managing Fear of Cancer Recurrence

EVOLVE – Giving cancer patients a meaningful voice within the design and delivery of clinical practice guidelines

ICANTREATNEPAL / ICANTREATINDIA – Increasing participation in cancer screening and treatment in India & Nepal (International Global Health Network)

PARTNER –Men’s prostate cancer treatment preferences

OPTIMA – Optimal treatments for patients with solid tumours in Europe through AI

PIONEER – Enhancing prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment through the power of big data in Europe

Example of Impact:

I am to keen to supervise PhD students interested in working in cancer survivorship and supportive care.

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships: University Committees:

Chair - Institute of Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) Research Strategy Group
Chair - Institute of Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) Health, Safety & Well-being Committee
External Memberships: Current External Membership:

Member - European Cancer Organisation Steering Committee for Survivorship and Quality of Life (2021 onwards)
Member - European Cancer Organisation Survivorship Focused Topic Network (2021 onwards)
Member - European Cancer Organisation Workforce Focused Topic Network (2021 onwards)
Member – Executive Committee, British Psychosocial Oncology Society (2016 - onwards)
Member – National Cancer Research Institute –Living With and Beyond Cancer Late Effects Workstream (2019 onwards)
Member – Patient Advocacy Group, European Association of Urologists (2018 - onwards)
Member – Breast Cancer Now, Grants Award Committee (2018 – onwards)
Member – ESRC Peer Review College (2017 – onwards)

Previous External Membership:

Member – MRC Strategic Skills Panel (2013 - 2017)
Member – Grants Award Panel, Carnegie Trust
Member – Executive Committee, Division of Health Psychology Scotland (2016 - 2017)
External Examiner (MSc) MSc Health Psychology, University of Westminster (2008 - 2011)
Member - BPS working party on ‘Work and Health’
Elected Member – Training Committee, Division of Health Psychology (2006 - 2008)
Elected Member - Executive Committee, Division of Health Psychology (2006 – 2008)
Assessor - Board of Assessors, Division of Health Psychology (2002 - 2008)
Examiner – Paper 4 (Health Psychology), Qualifying Examination (2002 – 2012)
Member - BPS working party on ‘Psychological Debriefing’(2001 - 2002)

Latest Publications

CATHETER II, a randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of various washout policies versus no washout policy in preventing catheter associated complications in adults living with long term catheters
2024 - Accepted/In press
Abdel-Fattah, M., Omar, M. I., Johnson, D., Cooper, D., Constable, L., Tripathee, S., MacLennan, S., Dimitropoulos, K., Evans, S., Granitsiotis, P., Hashim, H., Kilonzo, M., Larcombe, J., Little, P., Murchie, P., Myint, P. K., N'Dow, J., Paterson, C., Powell, K., Scotland, G., Thiruchelvam, N., Young, A. J., Cotton, S., Norrie, J., MacLennan, G.
BMJ Open
Contributions to Journals: Articles
Web-based interventions for fear of cancer recurrence: a scoping review with a focus on suggestions for the development and evaluation of future interventions
2024 - Published
Zibaite, S., Tripathee, S., Moffat, H., Elsberger, B., MacLennan, S.
PloS ONE, vol. 19, no. 11, e0312769
Contributions to Journals: Articles
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312769
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/24629/1/Zibaite_etal_PO_Web-based_interventions_fear_VOR.pdf
Patient and health care professionals’ perception of weekly prophylactic catheter washout in adults living with long-term catheters: Qualitative Study of the CATHETER II Trial
2024 - Accepted/In press
Tripathee, S., Johnson, D., Constable, L., Cotton, S., Omar, M. I., Abdel-Fattah, M., MacLennan, S.
RCOG World Congress 2024
Contributions to Conferences: Posters
Patient and health care professionals’ perception of weekly prophylactic catheter washout in adults living with long-term catheters: Qualitative Study of the CATHETER II Trial
2024 - Accepted/In press
Tripathee, S., Johnson, D., Constable, L., Cotton, S., Omar, M. I., Abdel-Fattah, M., MacLennan, S.
The International Continence Society
Contributions to Conferences: Posters
RCT comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of various catheter washout policies
2024 - Accepted/In press
Abdel-Fattah, M., Omar, M. I., Johnson, D., Cooper, D., Constable, L., Tripathee, S., MacLennan, S., Cotton, S., Norrie, J., MacLennan, G., Team, C. I.
RCOG World Congress 2024
Contributions to Conferences: Posters

View My Publications

Research

Research Overview

My research strategy focuses on understanding the impact of cancer and treatment on individual’s lives and methods for involving different stakeholder groups, particularly patients, in the design and delivery of care.

Research Areas

Research Specialisms

Health and Social Care
Applied Psychology
Health Psychology
Oncology

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

Current Research

I currently have eleven funded projects (total awards £5,644,624) across three themes:

Stakeholder engagement in the design and implementation of cancer care (Developed and Lead Projects):

ICANBE – Fear of Cancer Recurrence
EVOLVE – Giving cancer patient’s a meaningful voice within the design and delivery of clinical practice guidelines across Europe
PIONEER – Enhancing prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment through the power of big data in Europe; €12,000,000 EU grant (Lead for Aberdeen)
ICANTREAT – Increasing participation in breast cancer screening and treatment in Nepal and in Uganda; screening and treatment inequalities in India (International Global Health Research Group)

The design and implementation of better cancer care (Co-applicant):

OPTIMA – Optimal treatments for patients with solid tumours in Europe through AI
PARTNER – Men’s prostate cancer treatment preferences
ICAN – Improving understanding of Urological cancer (Cancer Research Group)
RCOS – Kidney Cancer core outcome set

The design and delivery of care and after care - Urology and other long-term conditions (Co-applicant)

SIMS LTFU – Surgical management of female stress urinary incontinence
CATHETER II – Understanding the patient experience of care; embedded qualitative study within a clinical trial to look at Catheter washout policies
PACFIND – Patient-centred care for Fibromyalgia

Funding and Grants

£1,185,670 Arthritis UK (2019 – 2024). Patient-centred Care for Fibromyalgia: New pathway Design (PACFIND). MacFarlane, G [PI], Maclennan SJ et al. [co-applicants]

£24,537 NHS Grampian. (2018-2019). Achieving Self-Directed Integrated Cancer Aftercare (ASICA): developing digitally supported cancer aftercare to achieve high quality, equitable care for diverse populations. Murchie, P [PI], Maclennan SJ et al. [co-applicants]

£9,805 GCRF-IPPF3 (2018). Increasing participation in breast cancer screening and treatment within Manipal, India (CANTREAT). MacLennan, SJ., & Poobalan, A.

£5,341,011 EU IMI (2018-2023). Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and TreatmeNt Enhancement through the Power of Big Data in EuRope – PIONEER (2018 – 2023). PIONEER Consortium – MacLennan SJ – lead applicant for University of Aberdeen group.

£2,271,424 NIHR HTA (2018-2023) Randomised Controlled Trial CompAring THE Clinical And CosT- Effectiveness Of Various Washout Policies Versus No Washout Policy In Preventing Catheter Associated Complications In Adults Living With Long-Term Catheters (CATHETER II Study). Abdel-Fattah, M. [PI], Maclennan SJ et al. [co-applicants]

£175,000 NHS Grampian Endowments (via UCAN) (2018-2021). EVOLVE: Giving Patients a Meaningful Voice in the Design and Delivery of Care. S J MacLennan

£50,000 European Association of Urology (2017-2018). Review of Renal Cell Carcinoma: Muscle-invasive & Metastatic Bladder Cancer (Lymph node Dissection) & Penile Cancer. N’Dow, J., & MacLennan, S.J.

£123,357 UCAN (2017- 2019). Meeting the Needs of Patients: Developing Core outcome Sets for Urological Cancer. MacLennan, S.J.

€1,070 EU COST action STSM-IS1211-35195 (2016). Cancer and Work Participation: Research visit to Dr Angela de Boer, Coronel Institute for Occupational Health, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam. MacLennan, SJ.

£11,548 NHS Grampian Endowments Award (2015 – 2016). Understanding the hard choices made by working women with breast cancer between treatment compliance and working on: clinical vs economic survival. Improving the Role of the NHS in Grampian. MacLennan SJ., Cox T., N’Dow, J & Heys, S.

£750 Santander Mobility Award (2015), University of Aberdeen. Developing the METIS Collaboration: Cancer Survivorship, Work & Working Life. MacLennan SJ.

£29,500 ESRC (2014 – 2017) Social Science Perspectives on the Working Lives of Those with Cancer: Psychosocial, Organisational and Economic Perspectives. Cox, T., MacLennan, SJ., Hassard, J., & Brown, H.

£25,000 Birkbeck University of London (2014) The Metis Collaboration: Cancer Survivorship, Work & Working Life. MacLennan, SJ.

£109,646 Macmillan Cancer Support (2013 – 2015) Cancer Survivorship: The Patient Journey, Work & Working Life. MacLennan, SJ., Cox, T., & N’Dow, J.

£1,426,755 Health Technology Assessment Programme (HTA) (2013 – 2017)Therapeutic Interventions for Stones of the Ureter (TISU): a multicentre randomised controlled trial of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, as first treatment option, compared with direct progression to ureteroscopic retrieval, for ureteric stones. (McClinton,S., N’Dow, J., MacLennan, GS., Kilonzo, M., Keeley, F., Anson, K., Clark, C., Pickard, R., Norrie, J., MacLennan, SJ., Thomas, R., Starr, K., Burgess, N., Lam, T., Kurban, L.)

£292,253 Health Technology Assessment Programme (HTA) (2012 – 2015) Ablative therapy for men with localised prostate cancer (Ramsay, C., Pickard, R., Vale, L., Lam, T., Mowatt, G., MacLennan, SJ., Rushton, S., N’Dow, J., Merseburger, A., Shirley, M., & Heidenreich, A. )

£176,903 Cancer Research Aberdeen & North East Scotland (CRANES) (2012 – 2015) Development of core outcomes for surgical management of localised prostate cancer to support decision-making by patients, clinicians and policy makers (Lam, T., N’Dow, J., MacLennan, SJ., Ramsay, C., & Campbell, M)

£24,680 The Prostate Cancer Charity Scotland (2011 – 2012) Support groups for men who have prostate cancer, their families and friends: identifying best practice models (MacLennan, SJ., Skea, Z, N’Dow, J & McCann, S)

£14,042 Scottish Cancer Research Network (2011 – 2012) Information for choice in urological cancer: What people need, prefer and use (MacLennan, SJ., & Skea, Z)

£10,317 Scottish Cancer Research Network (2010 – 2011) Delivering Peer Support Interventions in Urological Cancer (Employing a research nurse) (MacLennan, SJ., & N’Dow, J)

£150,700UCAN (Urological Cancer Charity) (2008 – 2013) Addressing the gaps in evidence for treatment of urological cancers (Employing a systematic reviewer) (N’Dow, J., MacLennan, SJ., & Imamura, M)

£165,975 The Scottish Government – CSO (2009 – 2012) Postdoctoral Training Fellowship in Health Services and Health of Public Research – The Acceptability and Usefulness of a Trial Participation Decision Aid: A Mixed Methods Study of Patients and Clinicians in the UK (Schumm, K., Campbell, M., Ramsay, C., N’Dow, J., Skea, Z., & MacLennan, SJ)

£245,482 UCAN (Urological Cancer Charity) (2009 – 2013) Information needs of those living with urological cancer (MacLennan, SJ)

£147,000 Macmillan in partnership with UCAN (2009 – 2012) Making life better for those living with urological cancer (MacLennan, SJ)

Datasets

Health status and associated factors of middle-aged and older adult cancer survivors in India: results from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Abstract Background The number of persons who have survived cancer has been increasing in India as elsewhere due to advances in detection and treatment of this disease. However, evidence on the standardised number of cancer survivors, their characteristics and their complex health challenges on a national level does not exist due to data limitations. This study, therefore, examines the profile of cancer survivors and their health status using the recently released Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) survey data. Methods LASI wave 1 is a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 65,562 middle and older adults aged 45 and above. We first calculated the socioeconomic, demographic and geographical characteristics of cancer survivors (per 100,000 population). We later estimated the adjusted odds of poor health, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, activities of living limitations (ADL and IADL), and hospitalisation of cancer survivors using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results According to LASI estimates, there were 2.1 million cancer survivors in India (95% CI 1.8 million to 2.6 million) in 2017–18. Overall, 440 cancer survivors have been identified in this study, with considerable state variations. The number of cancer survivors per 1,00,000 population was relatively more in non-indigenous groups, people with a history of cancer in their families, those who worked earlier but currently not working and those in the richest quintile categories. As compared to those who never had cancer, the cancer survivors are at higher risk of hospitalisation (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.61 CI 1.86, 3.67), poor self-rated health (aOR = 3.77, CI 2.55, 5.54), depressive symptoms (aOR = 1.53, CI 1.41, 2.05) and sleep problems (aOR = 2.29, CI 1.50, 3.47). They also reported higher ADL (aOR = 1.61, CI 1.11, 2.34) and IADL (aOR = 1.49, CI 1.07, 2.07) limitations. Cancer survivors who had their cancer diagnosis in the past 2 years or a cancer-related treatment in the past 2 years have significantly higher odds of poor health status than middle-aged and older adults without a cancer history. Conclusion Middle-aged and older cancer survivors, particularly those who underwent cancer diagnosis or treatment in the past 2 years, are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing poor self-reported health and other health challenges, suggesting the need for an integrated healthcare approach.
DOI

10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6262030

Publisher

Figshare

Links
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Date Made Available

23 November 2024

Related Research Outputs
- Health Status and Associated factors of middle-aged and Older Adult Cancer Survivors in India
Contributors

Guntupalli, A. M. (Creator), Selvamani, Y. (Creator), Maclennan, S. J. (Creator), Dilip, T. R. (Creator)
Data from: Health status and associated factors of middle-aged and older adult cancer survivors in India: results from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Abstract Background The number of persons who have survived cancer has been increasing in India as elsewhere due to advances in detection and treatment of this disease. However, evidence on the standardised number of cancer survivors, their characteristics and their complex health challenges on a national level does not exist due to data limitations. This study, therefore, examines the profile of cancer survivors and their health status using the recently released Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) survey data. Methods LASI wave 1 is a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 65,562 middle and older adults aged 45 and above. We first calculated the socioeconomic, demographic and geographical characteristics of cancer survivors (per 100,000 population). We later estimated the adjusted odds of poor health, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, activities of living limitations (ADL and IADL), and hospitalisation of cancer survivors using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results According to LASI estimates, there were 2.1 million cancer survivors in India (95% CI 1.8 million to 2.6 million) in 2017–18. Overall, 440 cancer survivors have been identified in this study, with considerable state variations. The number of cancer survivors per 1,00,000 population was relatively more in non-indigenous groups, people with a history of cancer in their families, those who worked earlier but currently not working and those in the richest quintile categories. As compared to those who never had cancer, the cancer survivors are at higher risk of hospitalisation (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.61 CI 1.86, 3.67), poor self-rated health (aOR = 3.77, CI 2.55, 5.54), depressive symptoms (aOR = 1.53, CI 1.41, 2.05) and sleep problems (aOR = 2.29, CI 1.50, 3.47). They also reported higher ADL (aOR = 1.61, CI 1.11, 2.34) and IADL (aOR = 1.49, CI 1.07, 2.07) limitations. Cancer survivors who had their cancer diagnosis in the past 2 years or a cancer-related treatment in the past 2 years have significantly higher odds of poor health status than middle-aged and older adults without a cancer history. Conclusion Middle-aged and older cancer survivors, particularly those who underwent cancer diagnosis or treatment in the past 2 years, are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing poor self-reported health and other health challenges, suggesting the need for an integrated healthcare approach.
DOI

10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6262030.v1

Publisher

Figshare

Links
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Date Made Available

23 November 2024

Related Research Outputs
- Health Status and Associated factors of middle-aged and Older Adult Cancer Survivors in India
Contributors

Guntupalli, A. M. (Creator), Selvamani, Y. (Creator), Maclennan, S. J. (Creator), Dilip, T. R. (Creator)
Data From Effectiveness of de-implementation strategies for low-value prescribing in secondary care: a systematic review
DOI

10.1186/s43058-023-00498-0

Publisher

University of Aberdeen

Links
Date Made Available

18 December 2023

Related Research Outputs
- Effectiveness of de-implementation strategies for low-value prescribing in secondary care
Contributors

Dunsmore, J. (Creator), Duncan, E. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator), N'Dow, J. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator)
Data From Effectiveness of de-implementation strategies for low-value prescribing in secondary care: a systematic review
DOI

10.1186/s43058-023-00498-0

Publisher

University of Aberdeen

Links
Date Made Available

18 December 2023

Related Research Outputs
- Effectiveness of de-implementation strategies for low-value prescribing in secondary care
Contributors

Dunsmore, J. (Creator), Duncan, E. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator), N'Dow, J. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator)
Data From Influences on androgen deprivation therapy prescribing before surgery in high-risk prostate cancer
DOI

10.1002/bco2.411

Publisher

University of Aberdeen

Links
- https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2Fbco2.411&file=bco2411-sup-0001-Supporting_Information_revised.docx
Date Made Available

01 July 2024

Related Research Outputs
- Influences on Androgen Deprivation Therapy prescribing before surgery in high-risk prostate cancer
Contributors

Dunsmore, J. (Creator), Duncan, E. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator), N'Dow, J. (Creator), Cornford, P. (Creator), Esperto, F. (Creator), Pavan, N. (Creator), Ribal, M. J. (Creator), Roobol, M. J. (Creator), Skolarus, T. A. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator)
Data From Influences on androgen deprivation therapy prescribing before surgery in high-risk prostate cancer
DOI

10.1002/bco2.411

Publisher

University of Aberdeen

Links
- https://bjui-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2Fbco2.411&file=bco2411-sup-0001-Supporting_Information_revised.docx
Date Made Available

01 July 2024

Related Research Outputs
- Influences on Androgen Deprivation Therapy prescribing before surgery in high-risk prostate cancer
Contributors

Dunsmore, J. (Creator), Duncan, E. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator), N'Dow, J. (Creator), Cornford, P. (Creator), Esperto, F. (Creator), Pavan, N. (Creator), Ribal, M. J. (Creator), Roobol, M. J. (Creator), Skolarus, T. A. (Creator), MacLennan, S. (Creator)

View My Datasets on Pure

Teaching

Courses

Publications

Update

Biography

Memberships and Affiliations

Latest Publications

CATHETER II, a randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of various washout policies versus no washout policy in preventing catheter associated complications in adults living with long term catheters

Web-based interventions for fear of cancer recurrence: a scoping review with a focus on suggestions for the development and evaluation of future interventions

Patient and health care professionals’ perception of weekly prophylactic catheter washout in adults living with long-term catheters: Qualitative Study of the CATHETER II Trial

Patient and health care professionals’ perception of weekly prophylactic catheter washout in adults living with long-term catheters: Qualitative Study of the CATHETER II Trial

RCT comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of various catheter washout policies

Research Overview

Research Areas

Applied Health Sciences

Nutrition and Health

Psychology

Research Specialisms

Current Research

Funding and Grants

Datasets

Health status and associated factors of middle-aged and older adult cancer survivors in India: results from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Data from: Health status and associated factors of middle-aged and older adult cancer survivors in India: results from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Data From Effectiveness of de-implementation strategies for low-value prescribing in secondary care: a systematic review

Data From Effectiveness of de-implementation strategies for low-value prescribing in secondary care: a systematic review

Data From Influences on androgen deprivation therapy prescribing before surgery in high-risk prostate cancer

Data From Influences on androgen deprivation therapy prescribing before surgery in high-risk prostate cancer

Courses

Evidence-based urology in practice: heterogeneity in a systematic review meta-analysis

Sense of coherence and psychiatric morbidity: a 19-year register-based prospective study

Relationship between job strain and smoking cessation: the Finnish Public Sector Study

Workplace complementary and alternative therapies for hospital-site staff

Low workplace social capital as a predictor of depression: the Finnish Public Sector Study

An exploratory study of treatment choices following early miscarriage and couple’s psychological outcomes

Attitudes of infertile couples to a multiple birth: A review of the literature and results from a survey

Impact of a multiple, IVF birth on post-partum mental health: A composite analysis

Organisational justice and smoking: The Finnish public sector study

Work factors related to psychological and health-related distress among employees with chronic illnesses

Maternal self-esteem after successful treatment for infertility

Psychometric evaluation of a short measure of social capital at work

Job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and heavy drinking: A study in 40,851 employees

Relationship between work stress and body mass index among 45,810 female and male employees

The impact of parenting multiples on first-time mothers conceiving following in vitro fertilisation (IVF)

Parenting stress in first-time mothers of twins and triplets conceived after in vitro fertilization

Dental anxiety and oral health promotion

Towards efficient guidelines: How to monitor guideline use in primary care

Assessing the impact of stressful incidents in organizations: The development of an extended impact of events scale

Choosing Childlessness: An examination of attitudes associated with the decision to remain childless

Understanding health behaviours that require others cooperation

Why do women remain childless?: An examination of the decision to remain childless and attitudes towards pregnancy and childbirth

Psychological adjustment during pregnancy and the postpartum period in single and multiple in vitro fertilization births: A review and preliminary findings from an ongoing study

Work-related reproductive health: A review

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