Christine Gunn, PhD
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
General Internal Medicine

PhD, Boston University
MA, University of Western Ontario
BSc, University of Western Ontario



Dr. Gunn completed her PhD in Health Services Research in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Women's Health Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. She holds a secondary appointment at the Boston University School of Public Health in the Department of Health Law, Policy and Management.

Dr. Gunn is a health services researcher focused on risk communication, decision-making, and the utilization of evidence-based care. She has conducted an array of research on how patients and providers negotiate the experience of being at risk for cancer and its impact on the utilization of health services. She is particularly interested studying how health literacy impacts health decision-making and behaviors. Dr. Gunn has extensive experience in qualitative research methods, surveys, and mixed methods approaches to studying risk and prevention behaviors.

Dr. Gunn has received funding from AcademyHealth through the New Investigator Small Grant Program to examine women’s perceptions of the Massachusetts breast density notification legislation and its influence on their intentions for future screening. She is the recipient of a K07 career development award from the National Cancer Institute. This award uses community-engaged methods to develop and test a breast cancer screening decision aid in partnership with women with low health literacy. She is also conducting work through the BU-BMC Cancer Center American Cancer Society pilot program that aims to develop patient education to help women understand breast density and has a CTSI pilot award expanding her risk communication work to explore gender and age based differences in risk communication about fentanyl use.

Areas of Interest:
Cancer, Decision-making, Risk communication, Screening and prevention, Breast density, Health services research, health literacy, health disparities

Adjunct Assistant Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Health Law, Policy & Management


Member
Boston University
BU-BMC Cancer Center


Member
Boston University
Center of Excellence in Women’s Health


Faculty
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit




Genetic Testing in the Safety-Net: Improving Equity in Prostate Cancer Treatment
04/01/2020 - 03/31/2024 (PI)
Department of Defense

Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening…
08/01/2018 - 07/31/2023 (PI)
National Cancer Institute/NIH/DHHS
K07CA221899-02

Perceptions of Breast Density Notifications Among a Low-Literacy Population: An Opportunity for P…
01/01/2016 - 12/31/2016 (PI)
Academy Health


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2022 Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening Decisions for Low Literacy Women 5K07CA221899-06
2021 Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening Decisions for Low Literacy Women 5K07CA221899-04 3
2021 Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening Decisions for Low Literacy Women 7K07CA221899-05 3
2020 Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening Decisions for Low Literacy Women 5K07CA221899-03 3
2019 Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening Decisions for Low Literacy Women 5K07CA221899-02 3
2018 Using Community-Engaged Methods to Design a Tool to Promote Informed Breast Cancer Screening Decisions for Low Literacy Women 1K07CA221899-01A1 3

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Rocque GB, Patel MI, Wallner LP, Bailey SC, Schear R, Gunn CM, Rivers J, Wilson R, Freeman EC, Buckingham TL, May SG, Kamal AH. Patient-Centered Decision-Making in Metastatic Breast Cancer Care Delivery: A Call to Action. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2024 Feb; 22(1). PMID: 38394778
     
  2. Ron D, Gunn CM, Havidich JE, Ballacchino MM, Burdick TE, Deiner SG. Preoperative Communication Between Anesthesia, Surgery, and Primary Care Providers for Older Surgical Patients. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2024 Jan 18. PMID: 38360446
     
  3. Blakeslee SB, Gunn CM, Parker PA, Fagerlin A, Battaglia T, Bevers TB, Bandos H, McCaskill-Stevens W, Kennedy JW, Holmberg C. Talking numbers: how women and providers use risk scores during and after risk counseling - a qualitative investigation from the NRG Oncology/NSABP DMP-1 study. BMJ Open. 2023 Nov 19; 13(11):e073138.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37984961; PMCID: PMC10660821; DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073138;
     
  4. Kressin NR, Wormwood JB, Battaglia TA, Slanetz PJ, Gunn CM. Sociodemographic Variations in Women's Reports of Discussions With Clinicians About Breast Density. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Nov 01; 6(11):e2344850.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38010653; PMCID: PMC10682834; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.44850;
     
  5. Harris MTH, Laks J, Hurstak E, Jain JP, Lambert AM, Maschke AD, Bagley SM, Farley J, Coffin PO, McMahan VM, Barrett C, Walley AY, Gunn CM. "If you're strung out and female, they will take advantage of you": A qualitative study exploring drug use and substance use service experiences among women in Boston and San Francisco. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2024 Feb; 157:209190.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37866442
     
  6. Skipper TA, Weiss JE, Carlos HA, Gunn CM, Hasson RM, Peacock JL, Schiffelbein JE, Tosteson ANA, Lansigan F, Rees JR. A Survey of Cancer Risk Behaviors, Beliefs, and Social Drivers of Health in New Hampshire and Vermont. Cancer Res Commun. 2023 Aug; 3(8):1678-1687. PMID: 37649812; PMCID: PMC10464638; DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-23-0267;
     
  7. Rees JR, Weiss JE, Gunn CM, Carlos HA, Dragnev NC, Supattapone EY, Tosteson ANA, Kraft SA, Vahdat LT, Peacock JL. Cancer Epidemiology in the Northeastern United States (2013-2017). Cancer Res Commun. 2023 Aug; 3(8):1538-1550. PMID: 37583435; PMCID: PMC10424700; DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-23-0152;
     
  8. Gunn CM, Berrian K, Weiss JE, Tosteson AAN, Hasson RM, Di Florio-Alexander R, Peacock JL, Rees JR. A population-based survey of self-reported delays in breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screening. Prev Med. 2023 Oct; 175:107649. PMID: 37517458; PMCID: PMC10763992; DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107649;
     
  9. Gunn CM, Gignac G, Hardy B, Zayhowski K, Pankowska M, Loo S, Wang C. Characterizing Referrals for Prostate Cancer Genetic Services in a Safety-Net Hospital. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 Oct; 19(10):852-859.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37384869; DOI: 10.1200/OP.23.00055;
     
  10. Kressin NR, Wormwood JB, Battaglia TA, Slanetz PJ, Gunn CM. Women's Reactions to Breast Density Information Vary by Sociodemographic Characteristics. Womens Health Issues. 2023; 33(4):435-442.View Related Profiles. PMID: 37087312; PMCID: PMC10330326; DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.03.002;
     
Showing 10 of 62 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 62 publications over 13 distinct years, with a maximum of 13 publications in 2020

YearPublications
20081
20111
20142
20153
20162
20176
20184
20195
202013
20215
20227
202311
20242


Interactive tool clarifies breast density risks without causing ‘undue anxiety’ after mammogram

Healio 1/27/2020

Breast-density notification letters may be too dense

Reuters 2/14/2019

Many native Spanish speakers unaware of breast density information

Radiology Business 10/30/2018

Breast Density’s Effects On Cancer Risk, Detection A ‘Fast-Moving Target’ In Research

Healio 10/25/2018

Communication, education may help reduce confusion about dense breast notifications

Healio 5/15/2018

2020 Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine: Evans Junior Faculty Research Merit Award
2018 Health Literacy Annual Research Conference: Sabra Woolley Award for Best Oral Abstract Presentation
2016 Boston University Medical Campus: Academy for Faculty Advancement
2016 Society of General Internal Medicine: Milton W. Hamolsky Junior Faculty Scientific Presentation Award Finalist
2016 Boston University School of Public Health: Katherine Skinner Memorial Prize for Dedication to Women’s Health Issues
2016 National Cancer Institute: Cancer Disparities Research Network Early Career Travel Scholarship
2014 National Cancer Institute: Student Travel Scholarship
2011-2015 Komen MATCH Scholar
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Cancer Prevention
Cancer Risk
Decision-Making
Health Services Research
Qualitative Research Methods
Women's Health
Health Disparities
Health Literacy

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801 Massachusetts Ave Crosstown Center
Boston MA 02118
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