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
Chubak J, Whitlock EP, Williams SB, Kamineni A, Burda BU, Buist DS, Anderson ML. Aspirin for the prevention of cancer incidence and mortality: systematic evidence reviews for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med. 2016 Apr 12. doi: 10.7326/M15-2117. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Green BB, Anderson ML, Chubak J, Baldwin LM, Tuzzio L, Catz S, Cole A, Vernon SW. Colorectal cancer screening rates increased after exposure to the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). J Am Board Fam Med. 2016;29(2):191-200. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2016.02.150290. PubMed
Burnett-Hartman AN, Mehta SJ, Zheng Y, Ghai NR, McLerran DF, Chubak J, Quinn VP, Skinner CS, Corley DA, Inadomi JM, Doubeni CA. Racial/ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer screening across healthcare systems. Am J Prev Med. 2016 Apr 1. pii: S0749-3797(16)00105-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.02.025. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Chubak J, Hubbard R. Defining and measuring adherence to cancer screening. J Med Screen. 2016 Mar 4. pii: 0969141316630766. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Hubbard RA, Ripping TM, Chubak J, Broeders MJ, Miglioretti DL. Statistical methods for estimating the cumulative risk of screening mammography outcomes. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016 Mar;25(3):513-20. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0824. Epub 2015 Dec 31. PubMed
Chubak J, Garcia MP, Burnett-Hartman AN, Zheng Y, Corley DA, Halm EA, Singal AG, Klabunde CN, Doubeni CA, Kamineni A, Levin TR, Schottinger JE, Green BB, Quinn VP, Rutter CM; PROSPR consortium. Time to colonoscopy after positive fecal blood test in four US healthcare systems. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016 Feb;25(2):344-50. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0470.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016 Feb 3. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Chubak J, Hawkes R. Animal-assisted activities in pediatric oncology: results from a survey of top-ranked pediatric oncology hospitals. J J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2016 Jul;33(4):289-96. doi: 10.1177/1043454215614961. Epub 2015 Nov 20. PubMed
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.
Top pediatric oncology hospitals reported lasting changes to programs involving visits with animals.