Document Type

Capstone Experience

Graduation Date

5-2026

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Health Promotion

First Committee Member

Dr. Abigail Lowe (Chair)

Second Committee Member

Dr. Athena Ramos

Third Committee Member

Dr. Regina Idoate

Abstract

The 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) shows that over 11% of adults in Finney County, Kansas, have diabetes, which surpasses both state and national averages. Census data from 2016-2020 indicate that 42.6% of residents ages five and older speak a language other than English at home, and 36.1% speak Spanish (United States Census Bureau, n.d.). The CHNA further highlights concerns about language and cultural barriers to care, especially among the Spanish-speaking population. Notably, 21.74% of residents have limited English proficiency—much higher than the state’s 12.1% (CHNA, 2025).

This capstone will develop a theory-based social media campaign plan to support diabetes self-management education for Spanish-speaking adults in Finney County and supplement the CommonSpirit St. Catherine Hospital health strategy. The campaign will incorporate situational analysis, bilingual messaging, and community input to ensure relevant and effective educational materials.

A key limitation is that secondary data broadly categorize the population as "Hispanic," even though not all Hispanic individuals speak Spanish. To address this, the capstone uses community-based initiatives like Focus Discussion Groups and community feedback to assess local needs, tailor interventions to the community’s language and culture, and set SMART objectives and an evaluation framework for culturally relevant implementation.

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