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
Lee JK, Roy A, Jensen CD, Chan JT, Zhao WK, Levin TR, Chubak J, Halm EA, Skinner CS, Schottinger JE, Ghai NR, Burnett-Hartman AN, Kamineni A, Udaltsova N, Corley DA. Surveillance colonoscopy findings in older adults with a history of colorectal adenomas. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e244611. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4611. PubMed
Lee JK, Jensen CD, Udaltsova N, Zheng Y, Levin TR, Chubak J, Kamineni A, Halm EA, Skinner CS, Schottinger JE, Ghai NR, Burnett-Hartman A, Issaka R, Corley DA. Predicting risk of colorectal cancer after adenoma removal in a large, community-based setting. Am J Gastroenterol. 2024 Feb 14. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002721. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Abrahão R, Brunson A, Ruddy KJ, Li Q, Li J, Ryder MM, Chubak J, Nichols HB, Sauder CAM, Gray MF, Hahn EE, Wun T, Keegan THM. Late endocrine diseases in survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer in California: a population-based study. Br J Cancer. 2024 Feb 8. doi: 10.1038/s41416-024-02594-x. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Abrahão R, Brunson A, Chubak J, Wernli KJ, Nichols HB, Chao C, Ruddy KJ, Hahn EE, Li Q, Malogolowkin MH, Sauder CAM, Kushi LH, Wun T, Keegan THM. Late venous thromboembolism in survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer: A population-based study in California. Thromb Res. 2024;235:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.thromres.2024.01.002. Epub 2024 Jan 15. PubMed
Rasouli B, Chubak J, Floyd JS, Psaty BM, Nguyen M, Walker RL, Wiggins KL, Logan RW, Danaei G. Combining high quality data with rigorous methods: Emulation of a target trial using electronic health records and a nested case-control design. BMJ. 2023;383:e072346. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072346. PubMed
White LL, Burnett-Hartman AN, Ichikawa LE, Goldberg SR, Chubak J, Spencer Feigelson H, Kamineni A. SARS-CoV-2 infection and related hospitalization among cancer survivors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 Dec 21. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-23-1303. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Aiello Bowles EJ, Kroenke CH, Chubak J, Bhimani J, O'Connell K, Brandzel S, Valice E, Doud R, Theis MK, Roh JM, Heon N, Persaud S, Griggs JJ, Bandera EV, Kushi LH, Kantor ED. Evaluation of algorithms using automated health plan data to identify breast cancer recurrences. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 Dec 13. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-23-0782. [Epub ahead of print]. 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.