Lauren holds a Masters degree in Health Psychology and is a part-time research assistant within ISMH, while she works towards completing her PhD in understanding care for co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems at Lancaster University.
At ISMH, lauren currently works on the qualitative work packages of an NIHR-funded project evaluating the public health impact of reforms to the way the UK government taxes alcohol, accounting for the ongoing effects of the cost-of-living crisis.
Lauren previously worked on Project SCeTCH - a smoking cessation trial based in centres for people experiencing homelessness. The trial evaluated the effectiveness of offering an e-cigarette intervention vs usual care on changes in smoking behaviour. She was responsible for data collection across 6 Scottish sites and was part of the research team at Stirling who led the SCeTCH trial process evaluation.
Other projects Lauren contributed to include a DHSC-funded study exploring women's experiences of accessing contraceptive services during the COVID-19 pandemic, which she led a first author paper on.
Article
Cost-effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation at homeless support centres: SCeTCH cRCT
Li J, Wu Q, Parrott S, Cox S, Pesola F, Soar K, Brown R, Ford A, Hajek P, Notley C, Robson D, Ward E, Varley A, Mair C, McMillan L & Bauld L (2025) Cost-effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation at homeless support centres: SCeTCH cRCT. Public Health Research, pp. 1-45. https://doi.org/10.3310/gjld2428
Article
Ford A, McMillan L, Soar K, Pesola F, Notley C, Brown R, Ward E, Gardner B, Varley A, Mair C, Lennon J, Brierley J, Edwards A, Mitchell D & Robson D (2025) Exploring how an e-cigarette intervention influenced tobacco smoking behaviour in people accessing homelessness services: findings from the SCeTCH trial process evaluation. International Journal of Drug Policy, 143, Art. No.: 104901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104901
Article
Dawkins L, Soar K, Pesola F, Ford A, Notley C, Brown R, Ward E, McMillan L, Robson D, Varley A, Mair C, Lennon J, Brierley J, Edwards A & Hajek P (2025) Smoking cessation for people accessing homeless support centres (SCeTCH): comparing the provision of an E-cigarette versus Usual Care in a cluster randomised controlled trial in Great Britain. BMC Medicine, 23, Art. No.: 394. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04167-y
Conference Paper (unpublished)
McMillan L & Ford A (2025) A mixed methods process evaluation exploring the mechanisms through which an e-cigarette intervention produced changes in tobacco smoking behaviour among people accessing homelessness services. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), New Orleans, USA, 12.03.2025-15.03.2025.
Conference Paper (unpublished)
McMillan L & Ford A (2024) Understanding the mechanisms through which an e-cigarette intervention produced changes in smoking behaviour among people accessing homelessness services: findings from a mixed methods process evaluation. Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA), Newcastle, 13.11.2024-15.11.2024.
Article
McMillan L, Gadsby E, Howell R, Ussher M, Hunt K & Ford A (2024) Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on women’s access to and experiences of contraceptive services in England: a qualitative study. BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/+bmjsrh-2023-202206
Conference Paper (unpublished)
Women’s experiences of accessing contraceptive services since March 2020: qualitative findings
McMillan L, Gadsby E, Howell R, Ussher M, Hunt K & Ford A (2024) Women’s experiences of accessing contraceptive services since March 2020: qualitative findings. UKSBM, Glasgow, Scotland, 13.03.2024-14.03.2024.
Article
Reflections of an MSc health psychology mentoring pilot
Henton S, Campbell C, Wilson A, McMillan L, Maltinsky W & Rackow P (2023) Reflections of an MSc health psychology mentoring pilot. Health Psychology Update, 32 (1), pp. 54-58. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpshpu.2023.32.1.54
Conference Paper (unpublished)
McMillan L & Ford A (2023) Barriers and facilitators to delivering a usual care smoking intervention as part of a cRCT based in services for people experiencing homelessness: researcher observations. SRNT-E, London, England, 11.09.2023-13.09.2023.
Research Report
Ford A, McMillan L, Gadsby E, Howell R, Ussher M & Hunt K (2023) Understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s access and attitudes to contraception in England. National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Policy Research Unit.
Other
An Evaluation of an MSc Health Psychology Mentoring Pilot
Henton S, Maltinsky W, Rackow P, Wilson A, Campbell C & McMillan L (2022) An Evaluation of an MSc Health Psychology Mentoring Pilot. Division health Psychology Conference, Bristol, 28.06.2022-29.06.2022.
