Overview

Dr. Marchak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a behavioral scientist at Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She has built a program of clinical research that focuses on healthcare self-management, healthy lifestyle behaviors, and psychosocial functioning. Her research also seeks to improve patients’ access to evidence-based supportive care programming by leveraging technology and implementation science methods. 

In addition to her work with the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, her national and international involvment includes:

  • Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at the Winship Cancer Institute
  • Co-chair of the Mental Health working groups for the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group (IGHG)
  • Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) Psychology Steering Committee
  • Children’s Oncology Group’s Behavioral Science and Supportive Care Committees

Electronic Psychosocial Screening in Pediatric Oncology

Dr. Marchak's team has developed and is currently evaluating a systematic screening program to promote evidence-based psychosocial assessment within pediatric oncology using technological solutions. The e-screening program launched in September 2018 and has been able to administer, document, and communicate the results of over 16,000 Distress Thermometers during the study period. Her formative research including stakeholder qualitative data was used to tailor implementation strategies to successfully support the adoption, implementation, and maintenance of e-screening in pediatric oncology [doi: 10.1002/pon.5550]. Currently, quantitative data analysis is being finalized to assess the reach, implementation, and efficacy electronic distress screening at point-of-care in pediatric oncology.

The team is also conducting additional research to validate the electronic administration of psychosocial screening measures and assess user-satisfaction with electronic distress screening in the pediatric oncology outpatient setting. This study recently closed to accrual and analyses are underway

The long-term goal of this research is to disseminate novel, patient-friendly technology to overcome barriers to universal distress screening, better identify distressed patients and families at risk for poor outcomes, and more effectively link families to appropriate mental health services and preventative psychosocial care.

 

Evaluating Educational Tools to Support Pediatric Cancer Survivor Care Across the Lifespan

Dr. Marchak and her team are working to facilitate survivors’ engagement in care by using novel patient-centered technological educational tools.

Cancer SurvivorLink allows survivors to upload, store, and share key health documents related to their survivor care in an electronic personal health record (ePHR). SurvivorLink also has an educational section, which currently houses static educational resources (e.g. pdf files) for patients and providers.

Dr. Marchak is currently leading a comprehensive formative evaluation of electronic channels (e.g. video, infographic) designed to educate adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors regarding the rationale for and value of engaging in survivor care in adulthood. By developing effective AYA long-term follow-up educational materials, we will be able to optimize the content, format, and delivery of electronic educational media to increase knowledge about and motivation for long-term follow-up care among AYA survivors of childhood cancer.

Rebecca Lewis, MPH

Education: BS (Biochemistry), University of Virginia; MPH, Emory University

Current projects: Electronic Psychosocial Screening in Pediatric Oncology, Validating Electronic Distress Screening in Pediatric Oncology, Evaluating Patient Engagement in Survivor-focused Healthcare After Childhood Cancer Treatment, Predicting Childhood Cancer Survivors’ Transition Readiness & Transfer Outcomes

Fun Fact: I believe you should have at least one piece of chocolate a day.

Email: rebecca.lewis@choa.org

 

Ebonee Harris, BS

Education: BS (Biology), Kennesaw State University; MPH Candidate, New York Medical College

Current projects: Electronic Psychoscial Screening in Pediatric Oncology, Validating Electronic Distress Screening in Pediatric Oncology

Fun Fact: Loves dogs and all genres of music. 

Email: ebonee.harris@choa.org

 

Heather Emery, MPH

Education: BS (Environmental Studies w/ focus on Human Health), Emory University; Masters of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Emory University 

Current Projects: Evaluating Educational Tools to Support Pediatric Cancer Survivor Care Across the Lifespan

Fun Fact: My happy place: the back porch of the CTL Arts and Crafts building during Camp Sunshine weeks, teaching campers how to tie-dye.

Email: heather.emery@choa.org

Emory Masters of Public Health Students

Chris Bodine, MBA, (2019-2020), Graduate Student, Emory University  

Lillian Boyer, BS, (2019-2020), Graduate Student, Emory University

Samantha Stacks, BSN, MPH, (2018-2019), Nurse Practitioner, Fourth street Clinic, Salt Lake City, UT

Kristen Howell, MPH, (2017-2019), PhD Student, University of Memphis

Heather Emery, MPH, (2016-2019), Clinical Research IRB Staff, Emory University

 

Clinical Psychology PhD Graduate Students

Lauren Quast, BS, (2017-2020), Graduate Student, University of Georgia

Jensi Gise, BS, (2017-2019), Graduate Student, Georgia State University

Ana Gutierrez-Colina, MS, (2014-2015), Pediatric Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow

Jennifer Lee, PhD, (2012-2013), Assistant Professor, Emory University

Bonney Reed-Knight, PhD, (2011-2012), Assistant Professor, Emory University

 

Emory Health Service Psychology Post-doctoral Fellows

Courtney Lynn, PhD, (2018-2019), Assistant Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Child & Adolescent Psychology

Kaitlin Proctor, PhD, (2017-2018), Attending Psychologist, Marcus Institute, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Jennifer Lee, PhD, (2015-2017), Adjunct Assistant Professor, Emory University

Gilleland Marchak J, Devine KA, Hudson MM, Jacobson LA, Michel G, Peterson SR, Schulte F, Wakefield CE, Sands SA. Systematic Review of Educational Supports of Pediatric Cancer Survivors: Current Approaches and Future Directions. J Clin Oncol. 2021 Jun 1;39(16):1813-1823. doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.02471. Epub 2021 Apr 22. PubMed PMID: 33886350.

Ji X, Marchak JG, Mertens AC, Curseen KA, Zarrabi AJ, Cummings JR. National estimates of mental health service use and unmet needs among adult cancer survivors. Cancer. 2021 Nov 15;127(22):4296-4305. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33827. Epub 2021 Aug 11. PubMed PMID: 34378803.

Cherven B, Meacham L, Williamson Lewis R, Klosky JL, Marchak JG. Evaluation of the Modified Reproductive Concerns Scale Among Emerging Adult Cancer Survivors. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2021 Dec;10(6):661-667. doi: 10.1089/jayao.2020.0219. Epub 2021 Mar 26. PubMed PMID: 33769891.

Quast LF, Williamson Lewis R, Lee JL, Blount RL, Gilleland Marchak J. Psychosocial Functioning Among Caregivers of Childhood Cancer Survivors Following Treatment Completion. J Pediatr Psychol. 2021 Oct 18;46(10):1238-1248. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsab061. PubMed PMID: 34363683.

Christen S, Roser K, Mulder RL, Ilic A, Lie HC, Loonen JJ, Mellblom AV, Kremer LCM, Hudson MM, Constine LS, Skinner R, Scheinemann K, Gilleland Marchak J, Michel G. Recommendations for the surveillance of cancer-related fatigue in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: a report from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. J Cancer Surviv. 2020 Dec;14(6):923-938. doi: 10.1007/s11764-020-00904-9. Epub 2020 Aug 25. Review. PubMed PMID: 32839902; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7572340. 

Verbruggen LC, Wang Y, Armenian SH, Ehrhardt MJ, van der Pal HJH, van Dalen EC, van As JW, Bardi E, Baust K, Berger C, Castagnola E, Devine KA, Gebauer J, Marchak JG, Glaser AW, Groll AH, Haeusler GM, den Hartogh J, Haupt R, Hjorth L, Kato M, Kepák T, Koopman MMWR, Langer T, Maeda M, Michel G, Muraca M, Nathan PC, van den Oever SR, Pavasovic V, Sato S, Schulte F, Sung L, Tissing W, Uyttebroeck A, Mulder RL, Kuehni C, Skinner R, Hudson MM, Kremer LCM. Guidance regarding COVID-19 for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer: A statement from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2020 Dec;67(12):e28702. doi: 10.1002/pbc.28702. Epub 2020 Sep 23. PubMed PMID: 32969160; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7537044.

Gilleland Marchak J, Halpin SN, Escoffery C, Owolabi S, Mertens AC, Wasilewski-Masker K. Using formative evaluation to plan for electronic psychosocial screening in pediatric oncology. Psychooncology. 2020 Sep 15;. doi: 10.1002/pon.5550. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32931620.

Ji X, Cummings JR, Gilleland Marchak J, Han X, Mertens AC. Mental health among nonelderly adult cancer survivors: A national estimate. Cancer. 2020 Aug 15;126(16):3768-3776. doi: 10.1002/cncr.32988. Epub 2020 Jun 15. PubMed PMID: 32538481.

Lee, J.L., Gutierrez-Colina, A., Williamson Lewis, R., Wasilewski-Masker, K., Meacham, L., Mertens, A. & Gilleland Marchak, J. (2019). Responsibility for health self-management predicts knowledge of risk for late effects of childhood cancer treatment among adolescent and young adult survivors. J Pediatr Psychol, 44(5):557-566. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsy102. PMID: 30624691.

Haarbauer-Krupa, J., Alexander, N.M., Mee, L., Johnson, A., Wise, J., Gupta, N.A., Schechter, M.S., Wasilewski-Masker, K., Marchak J.G. (2019). Readiness for transition and healthcare satisfaction in adolescents with complex medical conditions. Child Care Health Dev. 45: 463– 471. doi: 10.1111/cch.12656. PMID: 30836446. 

Escoffery, C., Gilleland Marchak, J., Haardoerfer, R., Meacham, L. Williamson Lewis, R., Udelson, H., Edwards, P. Mertens, A.C. (2019). Scalability of cancer SurvivorLinkTM: A cluster randomized trial among pediatric cancer clinics. Contemp Clin Trials. 85: 105819. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2019.105819. PMID: 31400518. 

Gilleland Marchak J., Cherven B.O., Williamson Lewis R., Edwards P., Meacham L.R., Palgon M., Escoffery C., Mertens A.C. (2019). User-centered design and enhancement of an electronic personal health record for survivors of pediatric cancers. Support Care Cancer. doi: 10.1007/s00520-019-05199-w. PMID: 31853699. 

Meacham, L.R., Williamson Lewis, R., Cherven, B., Effinger, K.E., Klosky, J.L. Gilleland Marchak, J. Educational intervention to address infertility related knowledge gaps among adolescent young adult survivors of childhood cancer. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. doi: 10.1089/jayao.2019.0156. PMID: 32069427. 

Lynn, C., Quast, L., Rogers, H., Effinger, K., Gilleland Marchak, J. Systematic review of health literacy in childhood cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers. J Pediatr Psychol. 45(4):373-385. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsaa009. PMID: 32186708. 

Gilleland Marchak, J., Seidel, K. D., Mertens, A. C., Ritenour, C. W., Wasilewski‐Masker, K., Leisenring, W. M., Sklar, C. A., Ford, J. S., Krull, K. R., Stovall, M. , Robison, L. L., Armstrong, G. T. and Meacham, L. R. (2018), Perceptions of risk of infertility among male survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Cancer. 124: 2447-2455. doi:10.1002/cncr.31343. PMID: 29663341. PMCID: PMC5992044.

 

View more publications

R01 CA218389-01 (Mertens/Escoffery)                                     

SurvivorLink: Scalability of an Electronic Personal Health Record for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers at Pediatric Cancer Centers

04/01/2018 - 03/31/2023    Role:  Co- Investigator   Source: NIH-NCI                                                                                   

Assess the impact of the SurvivorLink system on adherence to cancer survivor care and late effects visits/screening; and study how context influences implementation and sustainability.

 

5R01CA240319-02 (Stern)                                     

NOURISH-T+: A Randomized Control Trial Targeting Parents in Promoting Healthy Eating and Exercise Behaviors in Pediatric Cancer Survivors with Overweight/Obesity

07/01/2021 - 11/30/2025       Role:  Site PI       Source: NIH-NCI                                                                                    

Multi-site randomized control trial to test the efficacy of NOURISH-T+ to decrease BMI among obese survivors of childhood cancer through parental modeling of healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors.    

            

3P30CA138292-13S2- Administrative Supplement (Marcus)

Improving Support for Survivors Engaged in Transition (IS SET)

09/01/2021 – 03/31/2022      Role: Project PI         Source: NIH-NCI                                                                                        

Identify most salient organizational activities to improve transition outcomes for young adult survivors of pediatric cancer and develop strategies to mitigate organizational barriers and leverage facilitators to improve healthcare transition.

 

Woodruff Health Science Center Synergy Award (Gilleland Marchak / Effinger / Kegler)

Developing a Wellness Intervention for Adolescent Childhood Cancer Survivors

10/01/2021 – 09/30/2022      Role: MPI         Source: Emory University

Determine adaptions needed to modify Healthy Homes/Healthy Families (HH/HF) telehealth coaching program to help adolescent survivors of childhood cancer and their caregivers improve physical activity, sleep quality, and nutrition.