Jessica Chubak, PhD
“My research focuses on improving cancer control by finding effective ways to get screened for cancer and to navigate treatment and survivorship.”
Jessica Chubak, PhD
Senior Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Jessica.Chubak@kp.org
206-287-2556
Animal-assisted interactions research on Facebook
Biography
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.
Research interests and experience
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Cancer
Epidemiology; colorectal cancer; medication use; survivorship; recurrence; secondary prevention; quality of life; automated data collection; screening; animal-assisted activities; survivorship
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Health Services & Economics
Screening
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Medication Use & Patient Safety
Cancer risk and use of common medications
Recent publications
Wagner EH, Ludman EJ, Aiello Bowles EJ, Penfold R, Reid RJ, Rutter CM, Chubak J, McCorkle R. Nurse navigators in early cancer care: a randomized, controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Jan 1;32(1):12-8. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2013.51.7359. Epub 2013 Nov 25. PubMed
Chubak J, Bogart A, Fuller S, Laing SS, Green BB. Uptake and positive predictive value of fecal occult blood tests: a randomized controlled trial. Prev Med. 2013 Nov;57(5):671-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.08.032. Epub 2013 Sep 9. PubMed
Hamilton JG, Birmingham WS, Tehranifar P, Irwin ML, Klein WM, Nebling L, Chubak J. Transitioning to independence and maintaining a career in the new funding climate: a report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology’s Junior Members Interest Group. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013 Nov;22(11):2138-42. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0807. PubMed
Chubak J, Boudreau DM, Wirtz HS, McKnight B, Weiss NS. Threats to validity of nonrandomized studies of postdiagnosis exposures on cancer recurrence and survival. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Oct 2;105(19):1456-62.doi:10.1093/jnci/djt211. Epub 2013 Aug 12. Review. PubMed
Wirtz HS, Buist DS, Gralow JR, Barlow WE, Gray SL, Chubak J, Yu O, Bowles EJ, Fujii M, Boudreau DM. Frequent antibiotic use and second breast cancer events. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013 Sep;22(9):1588-99. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0454. Epub 2013 Jul 5. PubMed
Perdue DG, Chubak J, Bogart A, Dillard DA, Garroutte EM, Buchwald D. A comparison of colorectal cancer screening uptake among average-risk insured American Indian/Alaska native and white women. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2013 Aug;24(3):1125-35. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2013.0139. PubMed
Chubak J, Yu O, Buist DS, Wirtz HS, Boudreau DM. Time scale in follow-up studies: considering disease prognosis. Epidemiology. 2013;24(4):628-9. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0b013e3182961708. PubMed
Research
Study measures risks of screening colonoscopies for older adults
The findings can help guide colorectal cancer screening decisions later in life.
Research
Study sheds light on needs of young people with cancer
Understanding emergency department use among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors can help address care gaps.
Research
Improving cancer prevention and early detection
How KPWHRI is contributing to better cancer screening and better outcomes for patients.
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