Lynette Mackenzie

Professor Lynette Mackenzie is an Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy at the Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. Originally trained in the United Kingdom, she holds qualifications including a Diploma in Occupational Therapy (DipCOT), Bachelor of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy (BAppSc OT), Bachelor of Education Studies (BEdStud), Master of Education Studies (MEdStud), and a PhD in epidemiology awarded in 2002 from the University of Newcastle. Her doctoral research investigated falls among older people in New South Wales and Queensland as part of the Department of Veterans' Affairs Preventive Care Trial, which informed the Medicare over-75s health check. Mackenzie began her academic career as a foundation staff member of the undergraduate occupational therapy program at the University of Newcastle in 1991, where she helped develop the problem-based learning curriculum. She joined the University of Sydney in 2007 and coordinated the revised Master of Occupational Therapy program until 2017. Prior to academia, she worked as an occupational therapist in adult rehabilitation and social services in Sheffield and London.

Mackenzie's research focuses on falls prevention among older people, home environmental interventions, cancer survivorship (including cognitive impairments or 'chemobrain' and return to work), healthy ageing, housing for independent living, and occupational therapy practice and education. She is the author of the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (HOME FAST), used to identify fall risks in older people's homes. Notable publications include the highly cited "Environmental interventions to prevent falls in community-dwelling older people: a meta-analysis of randomized trials" (2008), "Urinary incontinence is associated with an increase in falls: a systematic review" (2009), "Chemobrain experienced by breast cancer survivors: a meta-ethnography study investigating research and care implications" (2014), and she edited "Occupation Analysis in Practice" (2011). Her work has garnered significant academic impact, with top papers exceeding 300 citations each. Mackenzie has been awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2019), Fellowship of Occupational Therapy Australia, induction into the OTA Research Academy (2023), and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Merit Award (2026). She supervises higher degree by research students and contributes to professional leadership in occupational therapy.

Professional Email: lynette.mackenzie@sydney.edu.au