Program

Physician Assistant M.S.

Year Approved

2022

First Advisor

Hanson, Christy

Second Reader

Mary Michener;

Abstract

Vanuatu is a country located in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean that is east of Australia (Adams & Foster, 2020, para. 1). This community service project partnered with the health clinic at the Family Care Centre (FCC), located in Teouma Valley on the island of Éfaté. Through communication with Anna Harris, a nurse working at the FCC clinic, several pressing needs of the clinic and the population at large were identified, including nutrition, exercise, diabetes, and hypertension education. As a result of the current needs of the FCC clinic in Vanuatu, this community service project aimed to educate Ni-Vans on the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and provide a knowledge base to the population in order to increase preventive measures. In order to do so, researchers Jasmin Lindberg, Abbie Marton, Danielle Settle and undergraduate graphic design student Isabelle Marton created a storybook and handout for patients of the FCC. The storybook and handout are meant to teach patients how physical activity and diet can affect their long term health, specifically focusing on the effects hypertension and diabetes have on the body. Pictures of culturally appropriate scenes and simple language were incorporated in both the storybook and handout with a goal of impacting not only those who directly use it, but future generations as well. These storybooks and handouts were placed and used by medical professionals in the FCC clinic to guide Ni-Vans, with the hope that they will learn more about these NCDs and how to combat them. In time, education shared through the storybook will hopefully lessen the burden of NCDs in Vanuatu.

Degree Name

Masters of Science in Physician Assistant

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

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