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A study co-authored by CUNY SPH doctoral candidate Amanda Pierz and MPH alumni Dr. Hyowoun Jyung, Bonnibel Rosario, and Nichole Andoh-B-Baidoo sheds light on the value of a novel peer psychosocial support for breast cancer patients in Adama, Ethiopia.
In collaboration with Assistant Professor Breanne Lott of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the team supported the work of Assistant Professor Biniyam Tefera Deressa at Adama Hospital Medical College (AHMC), where Dr. Tefera Deressa has launched Ethiopia’s first breast cancer psychosocial support group.
As part of their MPH Community Health and Social Sciences fieldwork, Jyung, Rosario, and Andoh-B-Baidoo conducted a qualitative analysis of six focus group discussions with 44 breast cancer patients and survivors in Adama. The research aimed to better understand patients’ experiences with the pilot program and its potential for broader application.
“While psychosocial support programs for breast cancer patients are relatively common in high-income countries, cancer centers in many Sub-Saharan African settings often lack psycho-oncology specialists and clinical resources and infrastructure to provide these vital mental health services,” said Pierz. “Dr. Biniyam’s initiative offers a promising, cost-effective model that could be adapted across similar resource-limited contexts.”
The AHMC peer support group is uniquely structured around a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Each monthly session is co-led by a breast cancer survivor, a female facilitator, and a local oncologist, creating a culturally resonant and community-based model of care.
Published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship, the study contributes to a growing body of research on cancer survivorship and mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings highlight how locally adapted, peer-led interventions can fill critical gaps in psycho-oncological care.
