Week 5: Learning about Sugar Sweeteners & Collecting Data

Welcome back to my blog everyone! This week, I was able to continue exploring the outpatient diabetes clinic, collect data from diabetes patients in the E.R, and work on my research paper. 

During this week, I was able to explore sugar sweeteners and the multiple options that patients have access to. The different types include: Caloric, Low-Caloric, Non-Caloric.I was specifically able to learn about Monk Fruit, a common alternative to sugar in people’s meals and drinks. Monk fruit, containing high intensity sweetener mogroside, serves as a non caloric sweetener, is naturally derived and is proven to unaffect blood sugar. Lastly, I was able to learn about common misconceptions diabetic patients have about alternative sweeteners and their assumed health benefits.

In addition, in the Emergency Department, I was able to collect data using the comprehension questions I created from a few more diabetic patients. I was able to see patterns and variations between the patients’ answers, calculate their percentage of questions correct, and identify their baseline for their knowledge in diabetes management. 

Lastly, I continued working asynchronously on my research paper. I am finishing up my methodology section and continuing my research for my background and introduction.  After receiving more resources and being exposed to more topics at the outpatient diabetes clinic, I contextualize my data. 

I look forward to seeing more patients next week and conducting my follow-up survey over the phone with patients. Thank you for reading, and see you next time!