Alice MacLean is a research fellow at the Institute for Social Marketing and Health, specialising in qualitative research with interests in experiences of health and illness; gender and help-seeking across the life course; and health and behaviour change within families.
Since joining ISMH in 2021, Alice has worked on a range of qualitative projects with her main focus being on two projects devised to explore experiences of Long Covid. One a CSO-funded study designed to amplify the voices of those with lived experience of Long Covid to improve understanding, support, treatment, and education in relation to the illness. The other is an NIHR-funded study, led by colleagues at the University of Oxford, exploring the experiences of Long Covid within families, including the experiences of children and young people with Long Covid.
Alice is also interested in behaviour change and has been involved in the development and evaluation of behaviour change interventions delivered in professional sports settings and secure institutions. Currently, Alice is a member of the qualitative process evaluation team on the Game of Stones trial.
Alice was based at the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (University of Glasgow) between 2010 and 2019, working on a range of projects initially in the Gender and Health programme and subsequently in the Improving Health in Settings and Organisations programme. Between 2007 and 2010, Alice worked at the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (University of Edinburgh) as research fellow on a qualitative longitudinal study which explored children’s and parents’ experiences of working parenthood. Prior to that, Alice conducted her PhD research, a qualitative exploration of gender differences in symptom reporting among children and young people, at the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit.
Qualitative explorations of lived experiences of health and illness; gender differences and similarities in accounts of help-seeking for illness; the impact of illness on identity; mental health in children and young people; links between gender identities and health behaviours; health behaviour change within couples and families; work-life balance and working parenthood.
Long Covid and Critical Service Occupations: impact on Employees and Organisations
PI: Dr Alice MacLean
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office
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Preprint / Working Paper
Macaulay L, O’Dolan C, Swingler J, Torrens C, MacLean A, Turner K, Avenell A, Cotton S, Dombrowski SU, Gray CM, MacLennan G, Hunt K, Kee F, McKinley MC & Hoddinott P (2024) Men with long-term conditions in the Game of Stones text messaging and financial incentives trial: an explortory mixed methods study. https://www.medrxiv.org/. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.13.24318555v1; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.13.24318555
Preprint / Working Paper
Mental health and weight loss in men: an exploratory mixed methods study of the Game of Stones trial
Torrens CE, Turner K, Swingler J, O’Dolan C, MacLean A, Macaulay L, Dombrowski SU, Avenell A, Cotton S, McKinley MC, Hunt K, Gray C, Kee F, MacLennan G & Hoddinott P (2024) Mental health and weight loss in men: an exploratory mixed methods study of the Game of Stones trial. https://www.medrxiv.org/. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.12.24318850v1; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.12.24318850
Preprint / Working Paper
Dombrowski SU, Hoddinott P, Swingler J, Macaulay L, O’Dolan C, Cotton S, Avenell A, Getaneh AM, Gray CM, Hunt K, Kee F, MacLean A, McKinley MC, Torrens C, Turner K, van der Pol M & MacLennan G (2024) Long-term Effects of Text Messages with Financial Incentives for Men with Obesity: Two-year Follow-up of the Game of Stones trial. https://www.medrxiv.org/. https://www.medrxiv.org/; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.12.24318921
Preprint / Working Paper
Dombrowski SU, Hoddinott P, Macaulay L, O’Dolan C, Swingler J, Cotton S, Avenell A, Getaneh AM, Gray C, Hunt K, Kee F, MacLean A, McKinley MC, Torrens C, Turner K, Marjon vdP & MacLennan G (2024) Secondary analysis of the Game of Stones trial of text messages with financial incentives for men with obesity [Secondary analysis: The Game of Stones trial]. https://www.medrxiv.org/. https://www.medrxiv.org/; https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.19.24319336
Article
Text messages with financial incentives for men with obesity. A randomized clinical trial
Hoddinott P, O'Dolan C, Macaulay L, Dombrowski S, Swingler J, Cotton S, Avenell A, Getaneh A, Gray C, Hunt K, Kee F, MacLean A, McKinley M, Torrens C, Turner K, van der Pol M & MacLennan G (2024) Text messages with financial incentives for men with obesity. A randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.7064
Article
The double invisibility of Long Covid in children
Wild C, MacLean A, Nettleton S, Hunt K & Ziebland S (2024) The double invisibility of Long Covid in children. Social Science & Medicine, 347, Art. No.: 116770. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116770
Article
Young adults’ experiences of biographical retrogression whilst living with Long Covid
Hunt K, Maclean A, Locock L, O'Dwyer C, Nettleton S, Ziebland S & Wild C (2024) Young adults’ experiences of biographical retrogression whilst living with Long Covid. Brown (Other) Sociology of Health and Illness.
Article
Anderson E, Hunt K, Wild C, Nettleton S, Ziebland S & MacLean A (2024) Episodic disability and adjustments for work: the ‘rehabilitative work’ of returning to employment with Long Covid. Disability & Society, pp. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2024.2331722
Article
Impact of Long Covid on the school experiences of children and young people: a qualitative study
MacLean A, Wild C, Hunt K, Nettleton S, Skea ZC & Ziebland S (2023) Impact of Long Covid on the school experiences of children and young people: a qualitative study. BMJ Open, 13 (9), Art. No.: e075756. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075756
Article
Maclean A, Hunt K, Brown A, Evered JA, Dowrick A, Fokkens A, Grob R, Law S, Locock L, Marcinow M, Smith L, Urbanowicz A, Verheij N & Wild C (2023) Negotiation of collective and individual candidacy for long Covid healthcare in the early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic: Validated, diverted and rejected candidacy. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 3, Art. No.: 100207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100207
Article
MacLean A, Maycock M, Hunt K & Gray CM (2022) Fit for LIFE: the development and optimization of an intervention delivered through prison gymnasia to support incarcerated men in making positive lifestyle changes. BMC Public Health, 22 (1), Art. No.: 783. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13004-3
Article
Tripathee S, Sweeting H, Chambers S & Maclean A (2020) How men receive and utilise partner support when trying to change their diet and physical activity within a men's weight management programme. BMC Public Health, 20 (1), Art. No.: 199. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8213-z
Article
Can professional football clubs deliver a weight management programme for women: a feasibility study
Bunn C, Donnachie C, Wyke S, Hunt K, Brennan G, Lennox JC, MacLean A & Gray CM (2018) Can professional football clubs deliver a weight management programme for women: a feasibility study. BMC Public Health, 18, Art. No.: 1330. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6255-2
Article
Group-based healthy lifestyle workplace interventions for shift workers: a systematic review
Demou E, MacLean A, Cheripelli LJ, Hunt K & Gray CM (2018) Group-based healthy lifestyle workplace interventions for shift workers: a systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, 44 (6), pp. 568-584. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3763
Article
Gray CM, Wyke S, Zhang R, Anderson AS, Barry S, Boyer N, Brennan G, Briggs A, Bunn C, Donnachie C, Grieve E, Kohli-Lynch C, Lloyd SM, McConnachie A, McCowan C, MacLean A, Mutrie N & Hunt K (2018) Long-term weight loss trajectories following participation in a randomised controlled trial of a weight management programme for men delivered through professional football clubs: a longitudinal cohort study and economic evaluation. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15 (1), Art. No.: 60. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0683-3
Article
MacLean A, Hunt K, Smith SM & Wyke S (2017) Does gender matter? An analysis of men's and women's accounts of responding to symptoms of lung cancer. Social Science and Medicine, 191, pp. 134-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.09.015
Article
Bunn C, Wyke S, Gray C, MacLean A & Hunt K (2016) 'Coz football is what we all have': masculinities, practice, performance and effervescence in a gender-sensitised weight-loss and healthy living programme for men. Sociology of Health and Illness, 38 (5), pp. 812-828. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12402
Article
MacLean A, Sweeting H, Walker L, Patterson C, Raisanen U & Hunt K (2015) "It's not healthy and it's decidedly not masculine": a media analysis of UK newspaper representations of eating disorders in males. BMJ Open, 5 (5), Art. No.: e007468. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007468
Article
MacLean A & Harden J (2014) Reflections on Researching with Children Using "Family Group Interviews" as Part of a Qualitative Longitudinal Study. International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies, 5 (4.1), pp. 649-665. https://doi.org/10.18357/ijcyfs.macleana.5412014
Book Chapter
Responsibility, Work and Family Life: Children’s and Parents’ Experiences of Working Parenthood
Harden J, MacLean A, Backett-Milburn K, Cunningham-Burley S & Jamieson L (2014) Responsibility, Work and Family Life: Children’s and Parents’ Experiences of Working Parenthood. In: Holland J & Edwards R (eds.) Understanding Families Over Time: Research and Policy. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 124-141. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137285089_7
Conference Abstract
Gray CM, Brennan G, MacLean A, Mutrie N, Hunt K & Wyke S (2014) Can professional rugby clubs attract English male rugby supporters to a healthy lifestyle programme: the Rugby Fans in Training (RuFIT) study 2013-14. European Journal of Public Health, 24 (supplement 2), Art. No.: cku166-074. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cku166.074
Article
Hunt K, Gray C, MacLean A, Smillie S, Bunn C & Wyke S (2014) Do weight management programmes delivered at professional football clubs attract and engage high risk men? A mixed-methods study. BMC Public Health, 14 (1), Art. No.: 50. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-50
Article
MacLean A, Hunt K & Sweeting H (2013) Symptoms of Mental Health Problems: Children's and Adolescents' Understandings and Implications for Gender Differences in Help Seeking. Children and Society, 27 (3), pp. 161-173. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2011.00406.x
Article
Home and away: constructing family and childhood in the context of working parenthood
Harden J, Backett-Milburn K, MacLean A, Cunningham-Burley S & Jamieson L (2013) Home and away: constructing family and childhood in the context of working parenthood. Children's Geographies, 11 (3), pp. 298-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2013.812274
Article
MacLean A, Sweeting H, Egan M, Der G, Adamson J & Hunt K (2013) How robust is the evidence of an emerging or increasing female excess in physical morbidity between childhood and adolescence? Results of a systematic literature review and meta-analyses. Social Science and Medicine, 78 (1), pp. 96-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.11.039
Article
Egan M, MacLean A, Sweeting H & Hunt K (2012) Comparing the effectiveness of using generic and specific search terms in electronic databases to identify health outcomes for a systematic review: A prospective comparative study of literature search methods. BMJ Open, 2 (3). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001043
Article
The 'family–work project': children's and parents' experiences of working parenthood
Harden J, MacLean A, Backett-Milburn K & Cunningham-Burley S (2012) The 'family–work project': children's and parents' experiences of working parenthood. Families, Relationships and Societies, 1 (2), pp. 207-222. https://doi.org/10.1332/204674312x645529
Article
Harden J, Backett-Milburn K, Maclean A & Jamieson L (2012) Hopes for the Future: Parents’ and Children's Narratives of Children's Future Employment Orientations. Sociological Research Online, 17 (2), pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.2619
Book Chapter
MacLean A (2011) Unfamiliar places and other people's spaces: reflections on the practical challenges of researching families in their homes. In: Jamieson L, Simpson R & Lewis R (eds.) Researching Families and Relationships: Reflections on Process. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 56-58. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9780230252448
Article
Financial trajectories: how parents and children discussed the impact of the recession
MacLean A, Harden J & Backett-Milburn K (2010) Financial trajectories: how parents and children discussed the impact of the recession. Twenty-First Century Society, 5 (2), pp. 159-170. https://doi.org/10.1080/17450141003783405
Article
Oh, what a tangled web we weave: experiences of doing ‘multiple perspectives’ research in families
Harden J, Backett‐Milburn K, Hill M & MacLean A (2010) Oh, what a tangled web we weave: experiences of doing ‘multiple perspectives’ research in families. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 13 (5), pp. 441-452. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645571003650979
Article
MacLean A, Hunt K & Sweeting H (2010) 'Rules' for boys, 'guidelines' for girls: Gender differences in symptom reporting during childhood and adolescence. Social Science and Medicine, 70 (4), pp. 597-604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.10.042
Article
Hilton S, Cameron J, MacLean A & Petticrew M (2008) Observations from behind the bar: changing patrons' behaviours in response to smoke-free legislation in Scotland. BMC Public Health, 8 (1), Art. No.: 238. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-238
