Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study
PURPOSEThe aim of this study was to explore breast cancer (BC) challenges to identify opportunities for advocacy in southern Ethiopia in 2022.METHODSTwenty-five participants from four local districts (kebeles) in Hawassa City were selected as key contributors to future work. Semistructured in-depth...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society of Clinical Oncology
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | JCO Global Oncology |
| Online Access: | https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.23.00137 |
| _version_ | 1797620561479729152 |
|---|---|
| author | Netsanet Bogale Bargude Balta Gulema Demissie Dereje Geleta Michele Rakoff Brandon Anderson Natalie Johnson Lisa Yee Lesley Taylor |
| author_facet | Netsanet Bogale Bargude Balta Gulema Demissie Dereje Geleta Michele Rakoff Brandon Anderson Natalie Johnson Lisa Yee Lesley Taylor |
| author_sort | Netsanet Bogale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PURPOSEThe aim of this study was to explore breast cancer (BC) challenges to identify opportunities for advocacy in southern Ethiopia in 2022.METHODSTwenty-five participants from four local districts (kebeles) in Hawassa City were selected as key contributors to future work. Semistructured in-depth interviews were held for two clinicians, two local health bureau managers, two media managers, and three religious leaders. Two focus group discussions were conducted: one included six BC survivors and a caregiver; the other included two health extension workers, three members of the Women's Development Group, two community volunteers, one kebele leader, and one traditional healer.RESULTSTo our knowledge, our study was the first time that most participants had assembled. Many referred to patients as victims and BC as a killer disease or curse. Community and religious leaders were concerned about challenges and willing to collaborate. Survivors, providers, and religious leaders were identified as key sources of information, positive messages, and leadership.CONCLUSIONRecommendations for advocacy work in Hawassa include lobbying for BC as a health priority; including BC within the health extension package; initiating programs for earlier detection; educating the community to remove stigmas of the disease and treatments; working with media to disseminate messages that are inclusive of people in remote areas and speaking different languages; improving availability, affordability, and access to care; and assisting patients with psychosocial support. A strategic collaboration between religious leaders and health care providers was identified to increase community awareness and support advocacy for patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:44:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca8756954b5b49f38a587a0730b3e3a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2687-8941 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:44:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JCO Global Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca8756954b5b49f38a587a0730b3e3a42023-11-16T20:59:20ZengAmerican Society of Clinical OncologyJCO Global Oncology2687-89412023-09-01910.1200/GO.23.00137Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative StudyNetsanet Bogale0Bargude Balta1Gulema Demissie2Dereje Geleta3Michele Rakoff4Brandon Anderson5Natalie Johnson6Lisa Yee7Lesley Taylor8Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital-Cancer Treatment Center, Hawassa, EthiopiaHawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital-Cancer Treatment Center, Hawassa, EthiopiaHawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital-Cancer Treatment Center, Hawassa, EthiopiaDepartment of Public Health, Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, EthiopiaBreast Cancer Care and Research Fund, Los Angeles, CAIronwood Cancer and Research Centers, Mesa, AZCity of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CACity of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CACity of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CAPURPOSEThe aim of this study was to explore breast cancer (BC) challenges to identify opportunities for advocacy in southern Ethiopia in 2022.METHODSTwenty-five participants from four local districts (kebeles) in Hawassa City were selected as key contributors to future work. Semistructured in-depth interviews were held for two clinicians, two local health bureau managers, two media managers, and three religious leaders. Two focus group discussions were conducted: one included six BC survivors and a caregiver; the other included two health extension workers, three members of the Women's Development Group, two community volunteers, one kebele leader, and one traditional healer.RESULTSTo our knowledge, our study was the first time that most participants had assembled. Many referred to patients as victims and BC as a killer disease or curse. Community and religious leaders were concerned about challenges and willing to collaborate. Survivors, providers, and religious leaders were identified as key sources of information, positive messages, and leadership.CONCLUSIONRecommendations for advocacy work in Hawassa include lobbying for BC as a health priority; including BC within the health extension package; initiating programs for earlier detection; educating the community to remove stigmas of the disease and treatments; working with media to disseminate messages that are inclusive of people in remote areas and speaking different languages; improving availability, affordability, and access to care; and assisting patients with psychosocial support. A strategic collaboration between religious leaders and health care providers was identified to increase community awareness and support advocacy for patients.https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.23.00137 |
| spellingShingle | Netsanet Bogale Bargude Balta Gulema Demissie Dereje Geleta Michele Rakoff Brandon Anderson Natalie Johnson Lisa Yee Lesley Taylor Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study JCO Global Oncology |
| title | Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Exploring Challenges Related to Breast Cancer to Identify Opportunities for Advocacy in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Community-Based, Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | exploring challenges related to breast cancer to identify opportunities for advocacy in hawassa city southern ethiopia a community based qualitative study |
| url | https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.23.00137 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT netsanetbogale exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT bargudebalta exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT gulemademissie exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT derejegeleta exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT michelerakoff exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT brandonanderson exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT nataliejohnson exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT lisayee exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy AT lesleytaylor exploringchallengesrelatedtobreastcancertoidentifyopportunitiesforadvocacyinhawassacitysouthernethiopiaacommunitybasedqualitativestudy |