Researcher biography
Dr. Saira Sanjida is a healthcare service researcher with an academic background in pharmacy and public health. She is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in digital health. She completed a Master's and a PhD focused on psycho-oncological care for women with gynecological cancer. She is a mixed-methods researcher experienced in both qualitative and quantitative approaches across various epidemiological research projects. Additionally, she has led and contributed to several systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Her research mainly explores access to healthcare services and systems, urban health, surgical care, and cancer survivorship care.
She is currently a Research Fellow at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Queensland, and manages a data linkage project involving healthcare records across primary and tertiary healthcare services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in South East Queensland.
Before joining the UQ Poche Centre, Dr Saira Sanjida worked at the Centre for Health Service Research and the Dermatology Research Centre. She has research collaborations with a national consortium, the Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group.
Journal Articles
Virili, Florencia, Obermair, Andreas, Sanjida, Saira, Nicklin, James L., Garrett, Andrea, Land, Russell, Tang, Amy, Campbell, Louise, Gebski, Val and Thomas, Paul (2026). Impact of gated FDG PET/CT on the staging of patients with suspected or proven newly diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer: results from a non-randomized, phase II clinical trial. International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer, 36 (1) 101854, 1-9. doi: 10.1136/ijgc-2024-005633
Sanjida, Saira, Garvey, Gail, Bainbridge, Roxanne, Diaz, Abbey, Barzi, Federica, Holzapfel, Sherry, Chen, Michael Y., Collin, Harry, Fatima, Yaqoot, Hou, Xiang-Yu and Ward, James (2025). Prevalence of surgery in Indigenous people with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 57 101527, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101527
Goodwin, Belinda, Anderson, Laura, Collins, Katelyn, Sanjida, Saira, Riba, Marcos, Singh, Gursharan K., Campbell, Kimberley M., Green, Heather, Ishaque, Sana, Kwok, Alastair, Opozda, Melissa J., Pearn, Amy, Shaw, Joanne, Sansom-Daly, Ursula M., Tsirgiotis, Joanna M., Janda, Monika and Grech, Lisa (2023). Anticipatory anxiety and participation in cancer screening: a systematic review. Psycho-Oncology, 32 (12), 1773-1786. doi: 10.1002/pon.6238
Mahmoud, Ibrahim, Sanjida, Saira, Schwenn, Paul, Hashem, Ibrahim Abaker, Collin, Harry, Chu, Kevin, Bainbridge, Roxanne and Hou, Xiang-Yu (2023). Incidence of discharge against medical advice in Queensland hospital emergency departments among Indigenous patients from 2016 to 2021. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 11 (6), 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01786-0
Magalski, Gabrielle R., Obermair, Andreas, Hanna, George B., Graves, Nicholas, Coleman, Mark G., Horsham, Caitlin, Sanjida, Saira, Vasconcelos Nogueira E Silva, Carina, Rao, Archana and Janda, Monika (2023). Experience of practicing obstetrician gynaecologists in a surgical training program in total laparoscopic hysterectomy. AJOG Global Reports, 3 (3) 100249, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.xagr.2023.100249
Obermair, Andreas, Hanna, George B., Gebski, Val, Graves, Nicholas, Coleman, Mark G., Sanjida, Saira, Horsham, Caitlin, Rao, Archana and Janda, Monika (2023). Feasibility and safety of a surgical training program in total laparoscopic hysterectomy: Results of a pilot trial. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 64 (1), 1-7. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13740
Xiang-Yu, Hou, Holzapfel, S., Sanjida, S. and Bainbridge, R. (2023). An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander showcase day from Brisbane Metro North Health: a personal reflection. Journal of Healthcare and Nursing Research, 5 (1). doi: 10.36266/JHNR/135
Hona, Te Wai Pounamu T., Horsham, Caitlin, Silva, Carina V., Lawn, Craig, Sanjida, Saira, Gillespie, Nicole, Soyer, H. Peter, Janda, Monika and ACEMID group (2023). Consumer views of melanoma early detection using 3D total-body photography: cross-sectional survey. International Journal of Dermatology, 62 (4), 524-533. doi: 10.1111/ijd.16578
Soyer, H. Peter, O’Hara, Montana, V. Silva, Carina, Horsham, Caitlin, Jayasinghe, Dilki, Sanjida, Saira, Schaider, Helmut, Aitken, Joanne, Sturm, Richard A., Prow, Tarl, Menzies, Scott W. and Janda, Monika (2023). Skin cancer excisions and histopathology outcomes when following a contemporary population‐based cohort longitudinally with 3D total‐body photography. Skin Health and Disease, 3 (2) e216, e216. doi: 10.1002/ski2.216
Sanjida, Saira, Garvey, Gail, Ward, James, Bainbridge, Roxanne, Shakeshaft, Anthony, Hadikusumo, Stephanie, Nelson, Carmel, Thilakaratne, Prabasha and Hou, Xiang-Yu (2022). Indigenous Australians’ experiences of cancer care: a narrative literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (24) 16947, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416947
Sanjida, Saira, Betz-Stablein, Brigid, Atkinson, Victoria, Janda, Monika, Barsoum, Ramez, Edwards, Harrison Aljian, Chiu, Frank, Tran, My Co, Soyer, H. Peter and Schaider, Helmut (2022). In-depth characterisation of real-world advanced melanoma patients receiving immunotherapies and/or targeted therapies: a case series. Cancers, 14 (11) 2801, 2801. doi: 10.3390/cancers14112801
Horsham, Caitlin, O'Hara, Montana, Sanjida, Saira, Ma, Samantha, Jayasinghe, Dilki, Green, Adele C, Schaider, Helmut, Aitken, Joanne F, Sturm, Richard A, Prow, Tarl, Soyer, H. Peter and Janda, Monika (2022). Experience of 3D total-body photography to monitor naevi: Results from an Australian general population-based cohort study. JMIR Dermatology, 5 (2) e37034, e37034. doi: 10.2196/37034
Janda, Monika, Forder, Peta, Gebski, Val, Sandjia, Saira, Armfield, Nigel and Obemair, Andreas (2021). Weight and weight control behaviors during long‐term endometrial cancer survivorship: results of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cancer of the Endometrium long‐term follow‐up study. Cancer Medicine, 10 (14) cam4.4032, 4896-4904. doi: 10.1002/cam4.4032
Sanjida, Saira, Obermair, Andreas, Gebski, Val, Armfield, Nigel and Janda, Monika (2020). Long-term quality of life outcomes of women treated for early-stage endometrial cancer. International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer, 31 (4), 530-536. doi: 10.1136/ijgc-2020-002145
Caughey, Lucy, Sanjida, Saira, Obermair, Andreas and Janda, Monika (2020). The use of CAM products, practices, and practitioners by long-term endometrial cancer survivors in Australia. Supportive Care in Cancer, 28 (11), 5479-5489. doi: 10.1007/s00520-020-05404-1
Sanjida, Saira, Kissane, David, McPhail, Steven M., Obermair, Andreas and Janda, Monika (2019). Anxiety and depression in patients with early stage endometrial cancer: A longitudinal analysis from before surgery to 6-month post-surgery. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, 1 (3), 1-9. doi: 10.1097/or9.0000000000000013
Sanjida, Saira, Janda, Monika, McPhail, Steven M., Kissane, David, Couper, Jeremy, Scott, James and Obermair, Andreas (2019). How many patients enter endometrial cancer surgery with psychotropic medication prescriptions, and how many receive a new prescription perioperatively?. Gynecologic Oncology, 152 (2), 339-345. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2018.11.018
Sanjida, Saira, McPhail, Steven M., Shaw, Joanne, Couper, Jeremy, Kissane, David, Price, Melanie A. and Janda, Monika (2018). Are psychological interventions effective on anxiety in cancer patients? A systematic review and meta-analyses. Psycho-oncology, 27 (9), 2063-2076. doi: 10.1002/pon.4794
Sanjida, Saira, Mulvogue, Kelly, Shaw, Joanne, Couper, Jeremy, Kissane, David, Pearson, Sallie-Anne, Price, Melanie A. and Janda, Monika (2018). What type and dose of antidepressants are cancer and non-cancer inpatients being prescribed: a retrospective case-control study at an Australian tertiary hospital. Supportive Care in Cancer, 26 (2), 625-634. doi: 10.1007/s00520-017-3876-4
Sanjida, Saira, Janda, Monika, Kissane, David, Shaw, Joanne, Pearson, Sallie-Anne, DiSipio, Tracey and Couper, Jeremy (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of prescribing practices of antidepressants in cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology, 25 (9), 1002-1016. doi: 10.1002/pon.4048
Conference Papers
Sanjida, Saira, Lane, Steven, Butler, Danielle, Shakeshaft, Anthony, Sullivan, Clair and Ward, James (2025). Research Alliance for Urban Goori Health: healthcare records across primary and tertiary healthcare services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in South East Queensland. The 21st Annual International Conference on Urban Health, Wellington, New Zealand, 17-21 November 2025.
Collins, Katelyn, Pearse, Emma, Vicario, Jazmin, Harrison, Nathan, Maxwell-Smith, Chloe, Shaw, Joanne, Janda, Monika, Sanjida, Saira, Hutchinson, Amanda, Pearn, Amy, Grech, Lisa, Ishaque, Sana, Fazon, Tiffany and Clinton-McHarg, Tara (2025). The content and psychometric properties of measures assessing cancer screening related anticipatory anxiety: a systematic review. 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress, Adelaide, SA Australia, 11-14 November 2025. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
Hou, Xiang-Yu, Clare, Halina, Sanjida, Saira, Dunstan, Libby, Moriarty, Stephanie, Nelson, Carmel, Schultz, Katherine, Kennedy, Glen and Bainbridge, Roxanne (2023). An Integrated Care Model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Peoples in Southeast Queensland Australia: Establishing an Indigenous Hospital in The Home Program . 23rd International Conference on Integrated Care, Antwerp, Belgium, 22-24 May 2023. London, United Kingdom: Ubiquity Press. doi: 10.5334/ijic.icic23217
Sanjida, Saira, McPhail, Steven and Janda, Monika (2019). How many endometrial cancer patients diagnosed with clinical level of anxiety and depression, and how many received psychological treatment during survivorship?. Cancer Survivorship Conference 2019, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 28-29 March 2019.
Sanjida, Saira, McPhail, Steven M. and Janda, Monika (2018). Prescription practice of psychotropic medications to the patients with endometrial cancer. Hong Kong, 20th World Congress of Psycho‐Oncology, 29 October‐2 November 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
Doggrell, Sheila A., Sanjida, Saira and Chan, Vincent (2015). Pilot study showing “AderenceCheck” does not improve the management of medicines in the older-aged living in a rental retirement village. APSA-ASCEPT Joint Scientific Meeting, Hobart, TAS, Australia, 29 November - 2 December 2015.