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Culminating Experience Part 2: Final Paper

Elizabeth Y. Kim

MPH 690 Culminating Experience (010)

Los Angeles Pacific University - Azusa Pacific University System

Dr. Carter, Robert

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Abstract:

My culminating experience has been an incredible journey as a Health Research

Specialist Intern with Human Health Project. Human Health Project has been built upon a

beautiful foundation that has many remote volunteers from all over the world from various

backgrounds that supports the programs to help offer free resources to the global community so

that people can be much more familiar with their disease and to help manage their overall health

condition (Unknown, 2018). Our vision is to offer available resources that are accessible in the

net to the global community by developing an evidence-based survey that offers real-world data

that’s free health information in regard to specific diseases that do not have enough research or

education available (Unknown, 2018). Our Mission is to help the organization receive more

donations and volunteers that’ll offer their expertise for the Human Health projects to improve

the quality of health to our global community to become healthier and reduce health disparities.

Human Health Project was developed to offer free health education to the underserved

population and to target family's that are older adults and family/friend caregivers (Unknown,

2018).

As a Health Research Specialist internship, I have the opportunity remotely to build a

Crohn’s Disease Evidence-based Survey Gizmo with Human Health Project. My job is to

research Crohn’s Disease which is an inflammatory bowel disease that typically affects the

gastrointestinal area which is inside the colon or around it (Ha, 2015). Crohn’s Disease affects

both men and women. However, it potentially may affect these two genders differently (Tresca,

2018). The Crohn’s Disease Survey has not yet been launched, but Human Health Project is

working its way to launch a couple of other diseases to the global community once the website,
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survey, and information available is accurate. My job was to gather information to write about

Crohn’s Disease as well as to assist in developing the survey and website with the Program

Manager. The evidence-based survey was created to offer free real-world data for specific

chronic diseases that affect each so that each can understand all the resources available for them

regarding what treatments he or she can get or what types of natural elements that he or she can

take to become healthier (Unknown, 2018).

Human Health project was developed to reach out to the entire community and to provide

accessible health information available on the net wherever you are for free because it is

everybody's right to understand their diagnosis and the best way to be treated (Unknown, 2018).

Human Health Project’s passion is to be patient-centered at all times by making sure that the

results obtained from each can contribute to being accurate and educationally so that either the

individual can take care of themselves or their loved ones can help those in need (Unknown,

2018). Human Health Project is a public health organization that offers health education to the

entire global population to all types of people. We develop surveys for anyone to take with the

diagnosis or if they know someone with the diagnosis and once the survey is completed it will

show up on Human Health Projects real-world data website where anyone from the world can

compare outcomes from different treatments and processes so that they can bridge the gap of

health education (Unknown, 2018). The excellent program was developed for the entire

community to utilize communication to another level by sharing resources and their experiences

back into the community.

Introduction/Background:

Crohn’s Disease is related to an inflammatory bowel disease that usually affects the
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gastrointestinal tract that affects anywhere from entering the mouth and to the anus (Unknown,

2018). There are different types of Crohn’s Disease such as ileocolitis that affects the small

intestine as well as the large intestines - the symptoms associated with this would typically be a

pain in the abdomen that can cause someone to lose weight (Unknown, 2018). Gastroduodenal

Crohn’s affects the beginning area in the small intestines where one can lose their appetite and

vomit due to being nauseated (Unknown, 2018). Granulomatous colitis affects the colon that

makes an individual have issues with their bowel movements which causes diarrhea, bleeding in

their rectum and lastly issues around their anus (Unknown, 2018). Crohn’s disease typically has

symptoms that affect the digestive symptom that people have to be warier of what they consume

on a daily basis or it can flare their symptoms more. Crohn’s disease has no cure, but several

treatments can assist with the flared symptoms to live comfortably and healthy.

During my research some tests can be run thru a laboratory or getting an endoscopy,

Computed tomography (CT) scans or even a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to look at

the gastrointestinal tract (Schiavone, 2015). Although these testing’s are available, it does not

mean that the disease can be cured. Crohn’s Disease typically starts at a younger age which is

very interesting (Schiavone, 2015). Not all individuals seek medication as their alternative

treatment, but rather alternative nontraditional approaches such as probiotics like kefir,

kombucha or even kimchi (Biggers, 2016). Fish oils help promote anti-inflammation (Biggers,

2016). Prebiotics are useful for one's diet that has honey, whole grains, bananas, onions or even

garlic (Biggers, 2016). Acupuncture inserting needles into specific points of the body,

biofeedback that helps you manage your pain or even herbal treatments can be natural ailments.

At this time the cause of Crohn’s is still a mystery, but it is highly linked to multiple

factors whether it's genetical, immune, bacteria or even environmental issues (Unknown, 2018).
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This disease may affect individuals daily normal lives, and many patients are so ill that they

decide no longer to exercise. Crohn’s disease has no cure or treatment that’ll free someone from

the disease yet there are signs that diet can contribute to a decrease in symptoms. There are

reports historically that many had the same inflammations in their stomachs even during the 460

BCE yet even today in 2018 it’s still is an unknown issue why it inflames the bowel and the

colon (Unknown, 2018). It was not until during 1932 Dr. Burrill Bernard Crohn discovering the

disease that affects the intestine area and today people are more open to sharing their issues with

the public health awareness. People are sharing the way they utilize holistic medicine or

approaches to help cure Crohn’s Disease, and it becomes more viral these days that people can

wear their colostomy bags with their bikini’s on (Unknown, 2018). People are loud and open

about their disease, and it is still affecting many people around the whole world. It is important

that Human Health Project develop surveys to gather research from real people around the world

to collect more research data so that people can learn from other mistakes and also the

beginnings of mediating their symptoms and get the best treatments possible (Unknown, 2018).

People are utilizing social media to talk about their new techniques with diet, alternative therapy

or treatment, even new vitamins or lifestyle contributions they have been making. This is the

trend that Crohn’s Disease is making that impacts our current society. Many people within the

global population may not have access to all the treatment, but the opportunity for people to

become more educated about the opportunities they may have can make a difference in their

lives in the bigger world.

Methodology:
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My research methodology was to research Crohn’s Disease for Human Health Project. As

a Health Research Specialist Intern with Human Health Project, my duty was to research Crohn’s

Disease to help develop an evidence-based survey, essay, find grant opportunities, as well as

assist in developing the website. My research was to look for answer options for the Crohn’s

Disease Survey in regard to general health questions such as causes, triggers, symptoms, over-

the-counter treatments, prescription treatments, lifestyle/natural treatment, what types of

procedures are available, what kinds of healthcare practitioners one can see as well as other

questions relevant to Crohn’s Disease. The information was then inputted into a Crohn’s Disease

Survey and needs continual modifications from experts in the field, and we are also receiving

support from those that honestly have the disease to take the survey and provide feedback. My

fellow volunteer coworkers are finding focus groups and organizations from all over the world

that support, educate or offer resources via Facebook, twitter, Instagram and many social media

outlets. I was also given the opportunity to write a blurb about Crohn’s Disease and to assist in

finding grant opportunities for Human Health Project to receive more donations and grants to

fund their survey takers and the organization as a whole.

Human Health Project targets the entire global population for both female and males.

Crohn’s Disease can affect both children and adults equally but can start during early childhood.

Crohn’s Disease typically is more common in Whites than African Americans, Asian Americans,

Hispanic Americans or American Indians (O’Brien, 2017). Just America alone there are

approximately 1.6 million people that are diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and some people may

be undiagnosed as well (O’Brien, 2017). However, Crohn’s can affect anyone within the global

community overall. Crohn’s affects the United States by $3.6 billion every single year due to

medical expenses and the high cost of medications that people have to pay for (O’Brien, 2017).
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The research is to share information with the global community so that each has equal

rights to learn about their diagnoses and to be educated about it. There are many ways to

contribute to Human Health Project, and many are 80+ volunteers, donators, and 30+ board

members that continue to offer their time and support that helps the real-world data continue to

expand its surveys and research to the community (Unknown, 2018). The way they share their

information is by sharing their real-world data to anyone in the community and allowing people

with the diagnosis or whoever takes care of their loved ones to take the survey to offer more

insight to the community and to learn from the data statistics. Anyone can view the website to

find more information about other people’s causes, symptoms, treatments and their

demographics from the real-world data (Unknown, 2018). They also work with other marketers

to advertise the website, their surveys, and to connect with real people via social media outlets to

find more people that are diagnosed with the disease and to educate those that want to learn more

about this disease in general.

Human Health Project stands by their vision, mission, and goals on providing health

education to the global population to empower them with more knowledge so that they can treat

themselves to have a higher quality of life. Our vision is to offer free resources and mission is to

provide it to those that are underserved and vulnerable within the global population. They value

patient-center care, advocacy, easy access to health information, and partnership with

stakeholders and volunteers to make this all happen. Without the patients as well they would not

have a mission, vision or even a goal to successfully pan out an excellent survey and data that

can be shared across the globe. They only have a few employees, more than 80+ volunteers,

Board members and people that offer donations and grants to make this organization continue

running. Without all these essential people Human Health Project would not exist today.
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Conclusions and Statement:

The culminating experience I had with Human Health Project as a Health Research

Specialist made me speechless with the fantastic work that the organization does for the entire

global population. I felt grateful and blessed to be a part of the organization because each

volunteer offered their time and expertise to help those that need the research to have a higher

quality of life. I gained knowledge on developing survey questions and answered, we had weekly

meetings in regard to each individual work progress, learned how to target grant opportunities

and become a part of a wonderful teamwork environment with everyone who believes in the

mission, vision, and goals. I loved the fact that each chronic health condition researched can

change someone's life short-term or even long-term, the impact that Human Health Project wants

to make is for their entire future so that they can live a higher quality of life. Our Survey has not

yet launched, but we are in the process of making everything complete to launch our survey by

next quarter of 2019. My accomplishments in developing the survey questions and answers will

lead to more accurate real-world data that the global population can utilize to live a healthier life

makes me very proud.

Human Health Project was developed to cover preventative treatments, lifestyle changes,

and other methods that are crucial for those that are diagnosed with specific diseases such as

Crohn’s Disease. As a public health practitioner, the experiences I’ve gained as a health research

specialist having the opportunity to research about Crohn’s Disease and grant opportunities

makes this experience unique and has given me the opportunity to utilize my skills to any

profession. The ability to develop assessments/surveys identifying health conditions for those

where there’s an unmet need for research especially targeting those in developing countries in
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remote villages or even major cities in today's world. The data offers an in-depth analysis of

chronic diseases that may not have any cure but can give a reason for those that still live a much

normal lifestyle — my culminating experience connected with the vision of our Master of Public

Health program being able to utilize cultural competency 1 to be professionally ethical and

practice equality in diverse community settings globally. I was able to utilize leadership

competency one the tenets of being a professional Public Health Ambassador who can bring all

aspects of the six tenets of the Christian worldview. The work, Human Health Project, isn’t to

gain any fame or money, but in the end, they want to show everyone unimpeachable integrity

with their fundamental research and results from the data. The work shows that all the volunteers

that contribute their servant-leadership, and they help transform what healthcare is. The

importance of public health is to offer free health education to the global population by offering

free resources and education. Each volunteer I’ve worked with offered a leadership & systems

thinking competency 4 where they respect all people around the entire global population and

with their knowledge and skills, they’ve put together an excellent program to share a wealth of

knowledge that can hopefully give a peace of mind to those in various countries to live a

healthier longer life.

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References:

Biggers, A. (2016). Natural Treatments for Crohn’s Disease. Healthline. Retrieved from:

https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/alternative-treatments

Ha, F., & Khalil, H. (2015). Crohn's disease: a clinical update. Therapeutic advances in

gastroenterology, 8(6), 352-9.

O’Brien, S. & Downward, E. (2017). Statistics. IBD. Retrieved from:

https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/what-is-crohns-disease/statistics/

O’Brien, S. (2016). Types of Crohn’s Disease. IBD. Retrieved from:

https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/types-of-ibd/types-of-crohns-disease/
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Trsca, A. (2018). Gender Differences in IBD. Retrieved from:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/gender-differences-in-ibd-4153578

Schiavone, C., & Romano, M. (2015). Diagnosis and management of Crohn's disease. Journal of

ultrasound, 18(1), 1-2. doi:10.1007/s40477-015-0159-0

Segal A. W. (2016). Making sense of the cause of Crohn's - a new look at an old disease. F1000

Research, 5, 2510. doi:10.12688/f1000research.9699.2

Unknown, A. (2018). HHP Crohn’s Disease Survey Nov 5 2018. Human Health Project.

Retrieved from:

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4674846/HHP-Crohn-s-Disease-Survey-Nov-5-2018

Unknown, A. (2018). Human Health Project. Retrieved from: https://humanhealthproject.org/

Unknown, A. (2018). What is Crohn’s Disease? Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Retrieved from:

http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-disease/

Unknown, A. (2018). Types of Crohn’s Disease and Associated Symptoms. Crohn’s & Colitis

Foundation. Retrieved from:

http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-

disease/types-of-crohns-disease.html
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Unknown, A. (2018). Real-World Data Program. Human Health Project. Retrieved from:

https://humanhealthproject.org/hhp-real-world-data-program/

Unknown, A. (2018). What Causes Crohn’s Disease? WebMd. Retrieved from:

https://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/crohns-disease-causes#1

Unknown, A. (2018). The Secret History of Crohn’s Disease. History Cooperative. Retrieved

from: https://historycooperative.org/the-secret-history-of-crohns-disease/