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
Hawkins V, Foster-Schubert K, Chubak J, Sorensen B, Ulrich CM, Stancyzk FZ, Plymate S, Stanford J, White E, Potter JD, McTiernan A. Effect of exercise on serum sex hormones in men: a 12-month randomized clinical trial. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40(2):223-233. PubMed
Chubak J, Buist DS, Boudreau DM, Rossing MA, Lumley T, Weiss NS. Breast cancer recurrence risk in relation to antidepressant use after diagnosis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2008;112(1):123-32. Epub 2007 Dec 6. PubMed
Ulrich CM, Chubak J, McTiernan A. Re: Exercise, vitamins and respiratory tract infections. American Journal of Medicine. 2007 Dec;120(12):e19. PubMed
Chubak J, Doherty JA, Cushing-Haugen KL, Voigt LF, Saltzman BS, Hill DA, Beresford SAA, Weiss NS. Endometrial cancer risk in estrogen users after switching to estrogen-progestin therapy. Cancer Causes Control. 2007 Nov;18(9):1001-1007. PubMed
Chubak J, Tuzzio L, Hsu C, Alfano CM, Rabin B, Hornbrook MC, Spegman A, Von Worley A, Williams A, Nehklyudov L. Providing care for cancer survivors in integrated health care delivery systems: practices, challenges, and research opportunities. J Oncol Pract. 2012 May;8(3):184-9. doi: 10.1200/JOP.2011.000312. Epub 2012 Jan 24. PubMed
Chubak J. What can epidemiology contribute to comparative effectiveness research? J Epidemiol Community Health. 2013;67:3 206-7. doi:10.1136/jech-2012-201682. Epub 2012 Nov 23. 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.