Yelena P. Wu
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Yelena P. Wu, PhD

Languages spoken: English

Associate Professor and Vice-Chair for Research, Department of Dermatology

Investigator, Huntsman Cancer Institute

View CV (PDF)

Dr. Wu is a licensed clinical psychologist and her research focuses on fostering optimal health outcomes among youths (children, adolescents, and young adults) affected by cancer. Her work addresses the needs of individuals who have a personal history of cancer and those who are at risk for developing cancer. Currently, her studies focus on skin cancer prevention and the design and testing of behavioral interventions to support young populations, families, and communities in engaging in recommended sun-safe practices. Studies that she leads focus on adolescents in the school setting, young adults, melanoma survivors and their children, young children in rural communities involved in recreational sports, and expectant mothers.

Specialties

Associate Professor and Vice-Chair for Research, Department of Dermatology

Investigator, Huntsman Cancer Institute

View CV (PDF)

Dr. Wu is a licensed clinical psychologist and her research focuses on fostering optimal health outcomes among youths (children, adolescents, and young adults) affected by cancer. Her work addresses the needs of individuals who have a personal history of cancer and those who are at risk for developing cancer. Currently, her studies focus on skin cancer prevention and the design and testing of behavioral interventions to support young populations, families, and communities in engaging in recommended sun-safe practices. Studies that she leads focus on adolescents in the school setting, young adults, melanoma survivors and their children, young children in rural communities involved in recreational sports, and expectant mothers.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Pediatrics -Adjunct Associate Professor
Dermatology -Associate Professor
Population Health Sciences -Adjunct Associate Professor
Academic Divisions Hematology/Oncology

Education history

Undergraduate Psychology - University of California Berkeley B.A.
Graduate Training Clinical Child Psychology - University of Kansas M.A.
Doctoral Training Clinical Child Psychology, Minor in Quantitative Psychology - University of Kansas Ph.D.
Internship Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology - Cincinnati Children¿s Hospital Medical Center Predoctoral Internship
Postdoctoral Fellowship Center for Adherence and Self-Management, Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology - Cincinnati Children¿s Hospital Medical Center Postdoctoral Fellow

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Shen N, Fastner SL, Wang X, Brintz BJ, Schlechter CR, Wu Y (2025). Indoor tanning is associated with substance use behaviors among adolescents. BMC public health, 25(1), 2514.
  2. Manne S, Wu YP, Buller D, Heckman C, Devine K, Frederick S, Solleder J, Schaefer A, Lu S (2023). The effects of a parent-focused social media intervention on child sun safety: pilot and feasibility study. JMIR formative research, 7(8), e48402.
  3. Nagelhout ES, Lensink R, Zhu A, Parsons BG, Haaland B, Hashibe M, Grossman D, VanDerslice J, Gren LH, Jensen JD, Wu Y (2021). Higher ultraviolet radiation exposure among rural-dwelling versus urban-dwelling adults and children: Implications for skin cancer prevention. Journal of community health, 46(1), 147-155.
  4. Bowers JM, Hamilton JG, Wu YP, Moyer A, Hay J (2021). Acculturation, sun tanning behavior, and tanning attitudes among Asian college students in the northeastern USA. International journal of behavioral medicine, 29(1), 25-35.
  5. Wu YP, Boucher K, Hu N, Hay J, Kohlmann W, Aspinwall LG, Bowen DJ, Parsons BG, Nagelhout ES, Grossman D, Mooney K, Leachman SA, Tercyak K (2020). A pilot study of a telehealth family-focused melanoma preventive intervention for children with a family history of melanoma. Psycho-oncology, 29(1), 148-155.
  6. Nagelhout ES, Parsons BG, Haaland B, Tercyak KP, Zaugg K, Zhu A, Harding G, Yancey J, Jensen JD, Grossman D, Wetter DW, Wu Y (2019). Differences in reported sun protection practices, skin cancer knowledge, and perceived risk for skin cancer between rural and urban high school students. Cancer causes & control, 30(11), 1251-1258.
  7. Wu YP, Deatrick JA, McQuaid EL, Thompson (2019). A primer on mixed methods for pediatric researchers. Journal of pediatric psychology, 44(8), 905-913.
  8. Pannier ST, Mann K, Warner EL, Rosen S, Acharya A, Hacking C, Gerdy C, Wright J, Wu YP, Kirchhoff A (2019). Survivorship care plan experiences among childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients and their families. BMC pediatrics, 19(1), 111.
  9. Coffin T, Wu YP, Mays D, Rini C, Tercyak KP, Bowen (2019). Relationship of parent-child sun protection among those at risk for and surviving with melanoma: Implications for family-based cancer prevention. Translational behavioral medicine, 9(3), 480-488.
  10. Wu YP, Herbert LJ, Walker-Harding LR, Tercyak K (2019). Introduction to the special issue on child and family health: the role of behavioral medicine in understanding and optimizing child health. Translational behavioral medicine, 9(3), 399-403.
  11. Wu YP, Parsons BG, Nagelhout E, Haaland B, Jensen J, Zaugg K, Caputo H, Lensink R, Harding G, Yancey J, Klein SZ, Leachman SA, Tercyak K (2019). A four-group experiment to improve Western high school students' sun protection behaviors. Translational behavioral medicine, 9(3), 468-479.
  12. Wu YP, Kohlmann W, Curtin K, Yu Z, Hanson HA, Hashibe M, Parsons BG, Wong J, Schiffman JD, Grossman D, Leachman S (2018). Melanoma risk assessment based on relatives' age at diagnosis. Cancer causes & control, 29(2), 193-199.
  13. Soisson S, Ganz PA, Gaffney D, Rowe K, Snyder J, Wan Y, Deshmukh V, Newman M, Fraser A, Smith K, Herget K, Hanson HA, Wu YP, Stanford J, Werner TL, Setiawan VW, Hashibe (2018). Long-term, adverse genitourinary outcomes among endometrial cancer survivors in a large, population-based cohort study. Gynecologic oncology, 148(3), 499-506.
  14. Wu YP, Linder LA, Kanokvimankul P, Fowler B, Parsons BG, Macpherson CF, Johnson R (2018). Use of a smartphone application for prompting oral medication adherence among adolescents and young adults with cancer. Oncology nursing forum, 45(1), 69-76.
  15. Petersen J, Koptiuch C, Wu YP, Mooney R, Elrick A, Szczotka K, Keener M, Pappas L, Kanth P, Soisson A, Kohlmann W, Kaphingst K (2018). Patterns of family communication and preferred resources for sharing information among families with a Lynch syndrome diagnosis. Patient education and counseling, 101(11), 2011-2017.
  16. Wu YP, Nagelhout E, Aspinwall LG, Boucher KM, Parsons BG, Kohlmann W, Kaphingst KA, Homburger S, Perkins RD, Grossman D, Harding G, Leachman S (2018). A novel educational intervention targeting melanoma risk and prevention knowledge among children with a familial risk for melanoma. Patient education and counseling, 101(3), 452-459.
  17. Yi J, Kim MA, Parsons BG, Wu Y (2018). Why did I get cancer? Perceptions of childhood cancer survivors in Korea. Social work in health care, 57(4), 300-314.
  18. Beal SJ, Tillery R, Wu YP, Thompson AN, Pai (2018). Future orientation in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors and unaffected peers. Psycho-oncology, 27(3), 1078-1081.
  19. Ou JY, Fowler B, Ding Q, Kirchhoff AC, Pappas L, Boucher K, Akerley W, Wu Y, Kaphingst K, Harding G, Kepka (2018). A statewide investigation of geographic lung cancer incidence patterns and radon exposure in a low-smoking population. BMC cancer, 18(1), 115.
  20. Ou JY, Smits-Seemann RR, Wu YP, Wright J, Kirchhoff A (2018). An investigation of survivorship clinic attendance among childhood cancer survivors living in a five-state rural region. Journal of cancer survivorship, 12(2), 196-205.
  21. Nagelhout E, Comarell K, Samadder NJ, Wu Y (2017). Barriers to colorectal cancer screening in a racially diverse population served by a safety-net clinic. Journal of community health, 42(4), 791-796.
  22. Wu YP, Mays D, Kohlmann W, Tercyak K (2017). Pediatric predispositional genetic risk communication: Potential utility for prevention and control of melanoma risk as an exemplar. . Journal of genetic counseling, 26(5), 887-893.
  23. Smits-Seemann RR, Kaul S, Zamora ER, Wu YP, Kirchhoff A (2017). Barriers to follow-up care among survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer. Journal of cancer survivorship, 11(1), 126-132.
  24. Reblin M, Wu YP, Pok J, Kane L, Colman H, Cohen AL, Mendivil E, Warner EL, Meyer M, Agutter (2017). Development of the electronic social network assessment program using the center for eHealth and wellbeing research roadmap. JMIR human factors, 4(3), e23.
  25. Wu YP, Aspinwall LG, Nagelhout E, Kohlmann W, Kaphighst KA, Homburger S, Perkins RD, Grossman D, Harding G, Cassidy P, Leachman S (2016). Development of an educational program integrating concepts of genetic risk and preventive strategies for children with a family history of melanoma. . Journal of cancer education, 33(4), 774-781.
  26. Zeller MH, Becnel J, Reiter-Purtill J, Peugh J, Wu Y (2016). Associations among excess weight status and tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use in a large national sample of early adolescent youth. Prevention science, 17(4), 483-92.
  27. Wu YP, McPhail J, Mooney R, Martiniuk A, Amylon M (2016). A multisite evaluation of summer camps for children with cancer and their siblings. Journal of psychosocial oncology, 34(6), 449-459.
  28. Wu YP, Aspinwall LG, Michaelis TC, Stump T, Kohlmann WG, Leachman S (2016). Discussion of photoprotection, screening, and risk behaviors with children and grandchildren after melanoma genetic testing. Journal of community genetics, 7(1), 21-31.
  29. Wu YP, Yi J, McClellan J, Kim J, Tian T, Grahmann B, Kirchhoff AC, Holton A, Wright (2015). Barriers and facilitators of healthy diet and exercise among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: Implications for behavioral interventions. Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology, 4(4), 184-191.
  30. Wu YP, Hommel K (2014). Using technology to assess and promote adherence to medical regimens in pediatric chronic illness. The Journal of pediatrics, 164(4), 922-7.
  31. Wu YP, Pai A (2014). Health care provider-delivered adherence promotion interventions: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 133(6), e1698-707.
  32. Wu YP, Steele R (2013). Predicting health-related quality of life from the psychosocial profiles of youth seeking treatment for obesity. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, 34(8), 575-82.
  33. Wu YP, Rohan JM, Martin S, Hommel K, Greenley RN, Loiselle K, Ambrosino J, Fredericks E (2013). Pediatric psychologist use of adherence assessments and interventions. Journal of pediatric psychology, 38(6), 595-604.
  34. Wu YP, Aylward BS, Steele R (2010). Associations between internalizing symptoms and trajectories of medication adherence among pediatric renal and liver transplant recipients. Journal of pediatric psychology, 35(9), 1016-27.

Review

  1. Wu YP, Roberts M (2008). A meta-analysis of interventions to increase adherence to medication regimens for pediatric otitis media and streptococcal pharyngitis. Journal of pediatric psychology, 33(7), 789-96.

Letter

  1. Wu YP, Hung M, Franklin JD, Samhouri M, Simons LE, Amylon M (2016). Validation of a measure of children's perceptions of their oncology camp experience: a national study. Psycho-oncology, 25(1), 112-4.

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