Prof Peter Donnelly
Chair in Public Health
Co Director of the MacKenzie Institute (Clinical)
Research areas
This is my second spell at the University. My previous appointment (2008-2014) is described below. During the period between leaving and returning I was, amongst other things, President and CEO of a large Provincial Public Health Agency in Canada. In 2021 I was appointed as Professor of Public Health Medicine and Director of the Sir James Mackenzie Institute for early diagnosis. This cross University initiative involving many schools seeks to focus the world class research talent of St Andrews on improving the early diagnosis of human disease, thus preserving life, reducing impairment and avoiding unnecessary healthcare costs.
Our four streams of research and forthcoming events can be accessed as below
https://med.st-andrews.ac.uk/mackenzie/
During my previous appointment, as St Andrews first Professor of Public Health Medicine, I built a team of individuals with diverse backgrounds and sought to provide an opportunity for doctoral study to a variety of students including those following atypical academic career paths. My principle focus at that time was on violence reduction on which subject I worked closely with the World Health Organisation and colleagues in a number of countries including South Africa, Jamaica and Lithuania. Closer to home we evaluated a violence reduction and gang member rehabilitation programme in Glasgow (which became a REF case study) and worked on a number of issues related to the Scottish Government's equally well programme.
In a career of over 30 years, which has combined academia with senior leadership positions, I have remained fascinated by the application of epidemiological principles to practical problems of health improvement and healthcare delivery. This extends to an interest in Health Sytems; their organisation, funding, governance and accountability and how they can be optimised to maximise patient benefit and to reduce health inequalities. In this area I have enjoyed working with the WHO, OECD, the Milbank Memorial Fund in New York and policy makers and politicians from around the world.
PhD supervision
- Tilcia Woodville-Price
- John Bayram
- Nina MacKenzie
Selected publications
-
Diagnostic accuracy of quantitative faecal immunochemical test in symptomatic patients for the investigation of colorectal cancer once accounting for anaemia severity and iron deficiency
Lucocq, J., Barron, E., Holmes, H., Donnelly, P. D. & Cruickshank, N., Feb 2025, In: Colorectal Disease. 27, 2, p. 1-11 11 p., e70024.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Open access
Sleep difficulties as a consistent risk factor for medically treated injuries among adolescents in 46 countries
Pagnotta, V. F., Donnelly, P. D., Gobina, I., Elgar, F., Ng, K. & Pickett, W., 18 Mar 2025, In: European Journal of Public Health. Advance article, 7 p., ckaf032.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Open access
Trends in indicators of violence among adolescents in Europe and North America 1994-2022
Molcho, M., Walsh, S. D., King, N., Pickett, W., Donnelly, P. D., Cosma, A., Elgar, F. J., Ng, K., Augustine, L., Malinowska-Cieslik, M., Bjereld, Y. & Craig, W., 24 Feb 2025, In: International Journal of Public Health. 70, p. 1-11 11 p., 1607654.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
"She should be smart enough to know, hey, these things can happen": identifying men's perceptions, attitudes and beliefs about sexual aggression toward women in drinking venues and the implications for prevention
Graham, K., Bernards, S., Abbey, A., Banyard, V., Donnelly, P., Dumas, T., Mcmahon, S., Senn, C., Swartout, K., Trudell, A. & Wells, S., 4 Mar 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Feminist Criminology. OnlineFirst, 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Open access
Adaptation and qualitative evaluation of the BETTER intervention for chronic disease prevention and screening by public health nurses in low income neighbourhoods: views of community residents
O’Brien, M. A., Lofters, A., Wall, B., Elliott, R., Makuwaza, T., Pietrusiak, M.-A., Grunfeld, E., Riordan, B., Snider, C., Pinto, A. D., Manca, D., Sopcak, N., Cornacchi, S. D., Huizinga, J., Sivayoganathan, K., Donnelly, P. D., Selby, P., Kyle, R., Rabeneck, L. & Baxter, N. N. & 2 others, , 4 Apr 2024, In: BMC Health Services Research. 24, 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Open access
COVID-19 pathophysiology: inflammation to cardiac injury
Fouda, S., Hammond, R., Donnelly, P. D., Coates, A. R. M. & Liu, A., 13 Dec 2024, In: Hearts. 5, 4, p. 628-644 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Early diagnosis is not always an unmitigated good, we need to make it useful for patients and clinicians We need to define the concept of early diagnosis
Mccartney, M., Liu, P., Fearfull, A., Macdonald, H. & Donnelly, P., 1 May 2024, In: British Medical Journal. 385, 2 p., q973.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
-
Open access
Guidelines and regulations applicable to vitro diagnostic tests in the UK: a scoping review
Staworko , M., Khawar, O., Sullivan, F., Donnelly, P. D., Deeks, J. & McCartney, M., 8 Aug 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: BMJ Innovations. 10, 3, p. 60-68Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Optimising the use of colonoscopy to improve risk stratification for colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients: a decision-curve analysis
Lucocq, J., Barron, E., Holmes, H., Donnelly, P. D. & Cruickshank, N., 1 Aug 2024, In: Scottish Medical Journal. 69, 3, p. 61-71 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Sleep difficulties as a universal risk factor for injury among adolescents in 46 countries
Pagnotta, V. F., Donnelly, P. D., Gobina, I., Elgar, F., Ng, K. & Pickett, W., 28 Oct 2024, In: European Journal of Public Health. 34, 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Abstract › peer-review