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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 7196
Email
alex.macmillan@otago.ac.nz
Position
Associate Professor
Department
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine (Dunedin)
Qualifications
MB ChB MPH(Hons) PhD FNZCPHM
Research summary
Environmental health: Integrating human and environmental wellbeing in urban planning
Teaching

PUBH 733 Environment and Health

Research

Alex Macmillan is an Associate Professor in Environmental Health. She trained in Medicine and is a Public Health Physician. Her research focuses on the links between urban environments, sustainability and health. Her main interests are in translating evidence about sustainability and health into policy by bringing together policy, community and academic knowledge and modelling future policy options. Particular areas of interest are transport, urban planning and housing policies. Alex is also involved in community based epidemiological research to understand the impacts of changing urban environments. She is an honorary senior research associate at the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London.

Current research projects include:

Publications

Drew, J., Cleghorn, C., Macmillan, A., & Mizdrak, A. (2020). Healthy and climate-friendly eating patterns in the New Zealand context. Environmental Health Perspectives, 128(1), 017007. doi: 10.1289/ehp5996

Bennett, H., Macmillan, A., Jones, R., Blaiklock, A., & McMillan, J. (2020). Should health professionals participate in civil disobedience in response to the climate change health emergency? Lancet, 395(10220), 304-308. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32985-x

Macmillan, A., Smith, M., Witten, K., Woodward, A., Hosking, J., Wild, K., & Field, A. (2020). Suburb-level changes for active transport to meet the SDGs: Causal theory and a New Zealand case study. Science of the Total Environment, 714, 136678. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136678

Hawley, G., Macmillan, A., Field, A., Hodgson, R., Witten, K., Kearns, R. A., & McKerchar, C. (2020). The normative influence of adults on youth access: Challenges and opportunities in the context of shifts away from car-dependence. Journal of Transport & Health, 16, 100841. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100841

Harrison, S., Macmillan, A., & Rudd, C. (2020). Framing climate change and health: New Zealand's online news media. Health Promotion International, 35, 1320-1330. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daz130

Drew, J., Cleghorn, C., Macmillan, A., & Mizdrak, A. (2020). Healthy and climate-friendly eating patterns in the New Zealand context. Environmental Health Perspectives, 128(1), 017007. doi: 10.1289/ehp5996

Journal - Research Article

Bennett, H., Macmillan, A., Jones, R., Blaiklock, A., & McMillan, J. (2020). Should health professionals participate in civil disobedience in response to the climate change health emergency? Lancet, 395(10220), 304-308. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)32985-x

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A., Smith, M., Witten, K., Woodward, A., Hosking, J., Wild, K., & Field, A. (2020). Suburb-level changes for active transport to meet the SDGs: Causal theory and a New Zealand case study. Science of the Total Environment, 714, 136678. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136678

Journal - Research Article

Hawley, G., Macmillan, A., Field, A., Hodgson, R., Witten, K., Kearns, R. A., & McKerchar, C. (2020). The normative influence of adults on youth access: Challenges and opportunities in the context of shifts away from car-dependence. Journal of Transport & Health, 16, 100841. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100841

Journal - Research Article

Harrison, S., Macmillan, A., & Rudd, C. (2020). Framing climate change and health: New Zealand's online news media. Health Promotion International, 35, 1320-1330. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daz130

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A. K., Mackie, H., Hosking, J. E., Witten, K., Smith, M., Field, A., … Baas, P. (2018). Controlled before-after intervention study of suburb-wide street changes to increase walking and cycling: Te Ara Mua-Future Streets study design. BMC Public Health, 18, 850. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5758-1

Journal - Research Other

Mackie, H., Macmillan, A., Witten, K., Baas, P., Field, A., Smith, M., … Woodward, A. (2018). Te Ara Mua - Future Streets suburban street retrofit: A researcher-community-government co-design process and intervention outcomes. Journal of Transport & Health, 11, 209-220. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2018.08.014

Journal - Research Article

Field, A., Wild, K., Woodward, A., Macmillan, A., & Mackie, H. (2018). Encountering bikelash: Experiences and lessons from New Zealand communities. Journal of Transport & Health, 11, 130-140. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2018.10.003

Journal - Research Article

Wild, K., Woodward, A., Field, A., & Macmillan, A. (2018). Beyond ‘bikelash’: Engaging with community opposition to cycle lanes. Mobilities, 13(4), 505-519. doi: 10.1080/17450101.2017.1408950

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A., & Jones, R. (2018). Government climate and health equity priorities must prompt a deeper re-think of health and healthcare for the 21st century. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1481), 9-12. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Other

Macmillan, A., & Woodcock, J. (2017). Understanding bicycling in cities using system dynamics modelling. Journal of Transport & Health, 7, 269-279. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2017.08.002

Journal - Research Article

Smith, M., Hosking, J., Woodward, A., Witten, K., Macmillan, A., Field, A., … Mackie, H. (2017). Systematic literature review of built environment effects on physical activity and active transport: An update and new findings on health equity. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity, 14(1), 158. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-0613-9

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A., Davies, M., Shrubsole, C., Luxford, N., May, N., Chiu, L. F., … Chalabi, Z. (2016). Integrated decision-making about housing, energy and wellbeing: A qualitative system dynamics model. Environmental Health, 15(Suppl. 1), 37. doi: 10.1186/s12940-016-0098-z

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A., Roberts, A., Woodcock, J., Aldred, R., & Goodman, A. (2016). Trends in local newspaper reporting of London cyclist fatalities 1992-2012: The role of the media in shaping the systems dynamics of cycling. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 86, 137-145. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.10.016

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A., & Mackie, H. (2016). Optimising low carbon mobility for health and equity. In D. Hopkins & J. Higham (Eds.), Low carbon mobility transitions. Wolvercote, UK: Goodfellow. doi: 10.23912/978-1-910158-64-7-3272

Chapter in Book - Research

Macmillan, A., Connor, J., Witten, K., Kearns, R., Rees, D., & Woodward, A. (2014). The societal costs and benefits of commuter bicycling: Simulating the effects of specific policies using system dynamics modeling. Environmental Health Perspectives, 122(4), 335-344. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1307250

Journal - Research Article

Shrubsole, C., Macmillan, A., Davies, M., & May, N. (2014). 100 unintended consequences of policies to improve the energy efficiency of the UK housing stock. Indoor & Built Environment, 23(3), 340-352. doi: 10.1177/1420326X14524586

Journal - Research Article

Raerino, K., Macmillan, A. K., & Jones, R. G. (2013). Indigenous Māori perspectives on urban transport patterns linked to health and wellbeing. Health & Place, 23, 54-62. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.04.007

Journal - Research Article

Lindsay, G., Macmillan, A., & Woodward, A. (2011). Moving urban trips from cars to bicycles: Impact on health and emissions. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 35(1), 54-60. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00621.x

Journal - Research Article

Dhar, D., Macmillan, A., Lindsay, G., & Woodward, A. (2009). Carbon pricing in New Zealand: Implications for public health [Viewpoint]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 122(1290). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/122-1290/3483/content.pdf

Journal - Research Other

Macmillan, A., & Lindsay, G. (2009). The price of Texas Tea: Oil, that is [Editorial]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 122(1296). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/122-1296/3641/content.pdf

Journal - Research Other

Metcalfe, S., Woodward, A., Macmillan, A., Baker, M., Howden-Chapman, P., Lindsay, G., Hales, S., … Jaine, R., … Edwards, R., … for the New Zealand Climate and Health Group. (2009). Why New Zealand must rapidly halve its greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand Medical Journal, 122(1304). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/122-1304/3827/content.pdf

Journal - Research Article

Macmillan, A., & Woodward, A. (2008). Revisiting Ivan Illich: Equitable transit in the climate changed cities of Aotearoa. In Re-thinking urban environments and health. (pp. 1-9). Wellington, New Zealand: Public Health Advisory Committee. Retrieved from http://nhc.health.govt.nz/archived-publications/phac-publications-pre-2011/re-thinking-urban-environments-and-health

Chapter in Book - Research

Connor, J., & Macmillan, A. (2005). The hazards of driving to work [Editorial]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 118(1227). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1227/1786/content.pdf

Journal - Research Other

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