Mary Abetang

I have a background in Education and Public Health, holding a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Nottingham, UK, and a Master’s in Public Health Sciences – Health Promotion and Prevention from Karolinska Institutet. I have served as Head of Charity Programs in a non-governmental organization in Nigeria, where I coordinated initiatives providing access to clean water, scholarships, and entrepreneurial empowerment in rural communities. I also worked as an Intern at the Swedish Red Cross, contributing to the REACH (Resilient & Empowered African Community Health) Initiative, which addressed non-communicable diseases in selected African countries. I am a recipient of prestigious awards, including the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship and the Swedish Institute Scholarship for Global Professionals. 

My doctoral research focuses on Preventing Functional Decline in Acutely Hospitalized Older Adults: Effects of a Three-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial, Patient Experiences, and Secondary Analysis. In the first two years, I will examine the short-term effects of the intervention on physical function and the long-term outcomes related to hospital readmissions.

My research interests include: physical activity promotion and interventions, preventing functional decline in older adults, healthy ageing and geriatric rehabilitation, patient experiences and person-centered care, prevention and management of non-communicable diseases, health promotion and disease prevention in diverse populations. 

I am licensed by the Ontario College of Teachers (Canada) to teach Health and Physical Education at the Senior Division level. I have worked as a lecturer at a College of Education in Nigeria, where I contributed to training future teachers, and as a teacher in secondary schools in Nigeria. I also held a leadership position as a school principal in Nigeria. In the UK, I worked as a cover supervisor, supporting schools with classroom management and short-term teaching duties.