Beth Anne Jones

Beth Anne Jones, PhD, MPH is a Research Scientist and Lecturer in Chronic Disease Epidemiology at Yale University's School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine. She serves as the Inaugural Director of the Cancer Screening & Prevention Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital and is affiliated with the Yale Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, and Obesity Research Working Group.

Dr. Jones is a Yale-trained cancer epidemiologist whose work focuses on health disparities, particularly racial/ethnic differences in cancer screening, prevention, and outcomes. Her research spans population-based studies of mammography screening in diverse populations, evaluation of obesity and social determinants of health on cancer outcomes, and implementation of community-based interventions to improve cancer screening in underserved communities. She has conducted research on mammography screening in African American and White women, cancer screening behaviors in Hispanic/Latinas in the Northeast United States, racial differences in breast density, and the role of obesity, tumor characteristics, genetic alterations, and social class in explaining cancer disparities.

Her recent publications show a strong focus on implementation science approaches to address cancer screening disparities, with numerous studies on breast cancer treatment completion, chemotherapy outcomes, and racial/ethnic disparities in cancer survival. Her work increasingly incorporates social determinants of health and community engagement strategies to address barriers to cancer screening and prevention in minority populations.

• Invited Testimony, The President's Cancer Panel (2009)
• Member, Board of Directors (2008)
• Co-Chair, Health Disparities Committee, CT Cancer Partnership (2006-2008)
• Co-Director, Office of the Elimination of Cancer Disparities, Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center (2006-2008)
• State of Connecticut Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center Breast Cancer Research Award (2004)

Dr. Jones collaborates extensively with researchers across Yale, including Andrea Silber, Brenda Cartmel, Courtney McGowan, Fangyong Li, Lisa Calvocoressi, and Melinda Irwin. Her community outreach efforts have created platforms reaching nearly 100,000 community members annually with evidence-based health messages in Spanish and English, and she has launched community-facing navigation programs that address social determinants of health barriers to cancer screening.

As Director of the Cancer Screening & Prevention Program, Dr. Jones leads translational efforts that connect population-based research with community implementation, focusing on engaging underserved communities in cancer prevention and screening activities throughout a large catchment area. Her work bridges epidemiological research with practical community interventions to reduce cancer disparities.