Post-Doctoral Scholar Spotlight: Bassema AbuFarsakh, PhD
The Behavioral Health Wellness Environments for Living and Learning (BH WELL) Post-Doctoral Scholars Spotlight is a platform dedicated to honoring the remarkable journeys and experiences of our post-doctoral scholars. In this spotlight, we will highlight BH WELL’s post-doctoral scholar, Bassema AbuFarsakh, PhD, MSN, BSN, RN, NCTTP.
Originally from Jordan, Dr. AbuFarsakh moved to the US in 2018 to pursue a PhD in nursing at the University of Kentucky (UK). When choosing between PhD programs, she chose UK because she had been awarded a graduate assistantship with Dr. Okoli, who two of her Jordanian colleagues knew and recommended to her. She remained with the BH WELL team through her doctoral graduation in 2023. She returned to the team in 2024 as a post-doctoral scholar.
When asked why she chose to pursue a doctorate, Dr. AbuFarsakh shares that she intended to earn a PhD since she was a young child. She wanted to do so because of her passion for improving health prevention, access to care, and overall quality of life for people living with mental illnesses. Dr. AbuFarsakh’s research focuses on the complex interplay between mental health and oncology. She is particularly interested in the impact of childhood trauma and depression on lung cancer survivorship. Her work aims to understand how these psychological factors can influence treatment outcomes and the survival rates for lung cancer patients. Dr. AbuFarsakh is also committed to promoting lung cancer prevention through smoking cessation initiatives and enhancing early detection strategies among people diagnosed with mental illnesses.
During her time with BH WELL, Dr. AbuFarsakh has worked on a variety of projects, including community-based tobacco treatment interventions, tobacco use in Assertive Community Treatment programs, tailored tobacco treatment modules, telehealth utilization, and policy evaluation, among many others. She shares "One of my favorite parts of my work at BH WELL has been designing studies and working with different research methods, especially analyzing the data. I really enjoy the moment when patterns start to emerge, and we can turn those findings into meaningful insights that can actually improve care.”
During her time with BH WELL, Dr. AbuFarsakh has published around 25 articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at more than 40 conferences.
“Being part of the BH WELL team has been an incredibly meaningful experience for me. It has provided a supportive and collaborative environment where I’ve grown both professionally and personally. I’ve had the opportunity to work with dedicated mentors and colleagues who are truly committed to improving the lives of individuals with mental illnesses while also supporting the growth and development of students,” Dr. AbuFarskh shares.
BH WELL Director, Dr. Zim Okoli, shares, “Dr. AbuFarsakh has provided such unique perspectives to the BH WELL team. She is an outside the box thinker and lends this strength to many of our projects. She has beautifully merged her research curiosity and innovative thinking with meaningful approaches to promote mental health and support recovery for a population often facing disparities. It is not easy to do this work, but Dr. AbuFarsakh’s passion and eagerness to collaborate have carved out the space to make purposeful change.”
Dr. AbuFarsakh will be starting a faculty position at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing in Fall 2026 where she plans to continue her research focused on reducing health disparities and improving access to care for underserved populations.
Dr. AbuFarsakh’s tenure with the BH WELL research team has been marked by a profound dedication to advancing research aimed at reducing health disparities for those living with mental and behavioral health challenges. We thank Dr. AbuFarsakh for her years of commitment to BH WELL and look forward to continued partnership within the University of Kentucky community!
Housed within the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, BH WELL exists to promote behavioral health and wellness among individuals facing behavioral health challenges. The BH WELL research team members are experts in behavioral health integration and change. They provide the essentials of mental and behavioral health support: practice, research, education, scholarship and service.