School of Social Work News

Associate Professor Brad Zebrack was a section editor and author of the inaugural Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer, which was published by Oxford University Press. The book provides a repository of the scope of oncology social workers’ clinical practice, education, research, policy and program leadership in the psychosocial care of people with cancer and their families.

Associate Professor Brad Zebrack received a grant from the National Cancer Institute via the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group to serve as co-chair for the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) task force. His responsibilities will include development and oversight of a research agenda and coordination of all AYA-related research activities.

Young adults and teens with cancer face unique challenges, questions and concerns.  Associate Professor Brad Zebrack’s research found that young adult cancer patients benefit when oncology social workers are involved in their care.  His research has received national recognitions for the positive outcomes of his work.

• Learn more about Brad's American Psychosocial Oncology Society award »
• Learn more about Brad's research in the Winter 2014 issue of Ongoing Magazine »

Associate Professor Brad Zebrack received a grant from the Seventy K to identify factors that affect how young adults with cancer cope with cancer, treatment, and associated life disruptions in order to aid the development of supportive care resources.

Associate professor Brad Zebrack was cited in a Chicago Tribune article, “After childhood cancer, young women's sexual health may suffer”.

Associate professor Brad Zebrack received an award from the University of Southern California to establish the validity, reliability, and clinical utility of a standardized distress screening instrument for use on adolescent and young adult cancer patients. He will also conduct international comparisons with collaborators in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Associate professor Bradley Zebrack received a funding award for a project involving a systematic evaluation of the implementation of psychosocial care services across select Association of Oncology Social Work member institutions. Results of the study will be shared with participating institutions to use for quality improvement and advocacy for supportive care services.

At the year-end symposium for the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), Devika Sachdev (LSA'16), who worked with Brad Zebrack this year as an undergrad Research Assistant, received the outstanding poster presentation award (second year in a row), for a poster entitled: Psychological Distress and Health-Related Quality of Life for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients: The First Two Years Following Diagnosis.