Proposal

STATEMENT OF INTENT
(2nd draft)

After suffering with chronic migraine headaches throughout my life, visiting countless doctors and specialists who all seek to treat my pain, I am traveling to Tonga to seek prevention.  With an estimated 45 million headache patients in the U.S. alone, there has been a lot of research concerning these episodes with an emphasis on treatment. Hundreds of headache-specific painkillers on the market provide people with rescue medication, and even though there are drugs targeted towards maintenance/control, they have been proven to be short of successful in many cases. The difficulty with headaches is targeting the specific triggers that are unique to each individual. Numerous things have been known to cause headaches, and the trial comes when trying to discover your own. My hope is to compare and contrast data already recorded in the U.S. with information I gather on my Field Study. I will design my project in two parts. First, a detailed survey given to a test group of approximately 200 people divided into 3 age groups. This questionnaire will determine frequency, duration, pain level, and possible causes of the individuals’ headaches. Then, I will assess why the headaches are happening through comparing common triggers in the U.S. to common causes in Tonga. By obtaining contact information, I will follow up with the chronic headache sufferers to learn more about their triggers. Many of the triggers here will vary drastically there.

(ie: Stress (lifestyle pace), Lack of food (low blood sugar), sleep pattern and duration, dehydration, weather/barometric pressure, anxiety/depression, exercise)

My academic interests for participating in a Field Study are motivated by my dream to help people struggling with headaches. As a Health Science major and a hopeful PA, I have a strong desire to work in health-care. I want to treat and help people so that they may live a full and healthy life. Headache sufferers, especially those with migraines, are kept from normal, daily activity by pain so strong it keeps them from functioning. My hope is to find a connection by studying the people, visiting health clinics and doctors’ offices, and observing my own headache patterns. I want to find the headache triggers in Tonga then combine them with the causes in the Western world to prevent headaches worldwide.

Besides the cultural and lifestyle factors that make Tonga the perfect location for my research, I chose this location for the beautiful landscapes and rich heritage. Polynesians are known for their friendly and accepting nature, and I can hardly wait to become submerged in their community.  I understand the challenge that will come with adjusting to another way of life, but after 3 months in Tonga I hope to grow and learn in a way that only a Field Study could provide.

LITERATURE REVIEW

(1st draft)

Knowledge is power. Yet in an age where information abounds, finding the right sources can be challenging. This is generally true for medical knowledge and particularly true for medical knowledge about headaches. This portion of the proposal will be an overview the significant literature published about headaches in more recent years. The majority of sources being found in medical journals, books and scholarly articles located in BYU’s library, other databases and recourses of my own.

Healthcare professionals have always been an important source of medical information for patients. In today’s healthcare environment, however, it is also important to seek out further knowledge, studying and investigating multiple angles.  Although chronic headaches are a thoroughly researched topic, their causes are somewhat mysterious. That mystery is one of the main topics in medical journals examining these attacks. Obtaining a broad knowledge of this multi-faceted disease will assist in healthcare progression and discovery.

Dividing my research into 3 categories, I have been able to cover more ground understanding headaches on a broad spectrum. Studying frequency, triggers, and treatment/control I am preparing myself for my project. Having a wide knowledge-base will allow me to be thorough in my surveys and interviews, knowing how to ask the right questions. Through comparing statistics and famous studies, I will have the correct information to validate my findings while in Tonga.