Jessica Chubak, PhD, is an epidemiologist who works to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, control, and survivorship. She contributes to several national collaborations that are finding practical, efficient, effective ways to screen for cancer, especially colorectal cancer. She also studies how common medications affect cancer risk and recurrence. Intrigued by how pets positively affect health, Dr. Chubak is studying animal-assisted activities in clinics and hospitals where children get treated for cancer. Dr. Chubak’s methodological research focuses on the use of administrative and electronic health record data in epidemiologic and health services studies.
Dr. Chubak joined KPWHRI in 2007, bringing expertise in epidemiologic methods, pharmacoepidemiology, and cancer. Awarded a Fulbright graduate student grant, Dr. Chubak pursued her master's degree in bioethics and health law in New Zealand before completing her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Washington (UW). Dr. Chubak is an affiliate associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health, where she enjoys guest-lecturing and getting to work with students.
Epidemiology; colorectal cancer; medication use; survivorship; recurrence; secondary prevention; quality of life; automated data collection; screening; animal-assisted activities; survivorship
Screening
Cancer risk and use of common medications
Singal AG, Tiro J, Li X, Adams-Huet B, Chubak J. Factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance rates among patients with cirrhosis in a population-based integrated healthcare delivery system. J Clin Gastroenterology.2016 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Shortreed SM, Johnson EJ, Rutter CM, Kamineni A, Wernli KJ, Chubak J. Cohort restriction based on prior enrollment: Examining potential biases in estimating cancer and mortality risk. Obs Stud. 2016 Aug;2:51-64. Epub 2016 Sep 26. PubMed
Chubak J, Ziebell R, Greenlee RT, Honda S, Hornbrook MC, Epstein M, Nekhlyudov L, Pawloski PA, Ritzwoller DP, Ghai NR, Feigelson HS, Clancy HA, Doria-Rose VP, Kushi LH. The Cancer Research Network: a platform for epidemiologic and health services research on cancer prevention, care, and outcomes in large, stable populations. Cancer Causes Control. 2016 Sep 17. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Hubbard R, Johnson E, Chubak J, Wernli KJ, Kamineni A, Bogart A, Rutter C. Estimating screening test effectiveness when screening indication is unknown using generalized linear finite mixture models. Health Services Outcomes Res Methodol.2017 17(2):101-112. PubMed
Drescher CW, Beatty JD, Resta R, Andersen MR, Watabayashi K, Thorpe J, Hawley S, Purkey H, Chubak J, Hanson N, Buist DS, Urban N. The effect of referral for genetic counseling on genetic testing and surgical prevention in women at high risk for ovarian cancer: results from a randomized controlled trial. Cancer. 2016 Jul 22. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30190. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Klabunde CN, Zheng Y, Quinn VP, Beaber EF, Rutter CM, Halm EA, Chubak J, Doubeni CA, Haas JS, Kamineni R, Schapira MM, Vacek PM, Garcia MP, Corley DA on behalf of PROSPR consortium. Influence of age and comorbidity on colorectal cancer screening in the elderly. Am J Prev Med. 2016 Sep;51(3):e67-75. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.04.018. Epub 2016 Jun 22. PubMed
Nekhlyudov L, Walker R, Ziebell R, Rabin B, Nutt S, Chubak J. Cancer survivors' experiences with insurance, finances, and employment: results from a multisite study. J Cancer Surviv. 2016 Jun 9. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
The findings can help guide colorectal cancer screening decisions later in life.
Understanding emergency department use among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors can help address care gaps.
How KPWHRI is contributing to better cancer screening and better outcomes for patients.