Research is nothing if not humbling...

This update is long overdue. So much has happened in the last few months, but there has been little time until now to stop and reflect on the struggles and successes of this project thus far.

Let me begin by saying that this research project has been nothing if not humbling. I used to spend hours criticizing other studies for not having adequate sample sizes and/or not using the gold standard methods for measuring X, Y, and Z - or simply failing to measure X, Y, and Z. But until you’re the one struggling to recruit volunteers willing to carve out time in their already busy, overcommitted schedules to do things that may not be particularly enjoyable or comfortable (keeping a food diary is hard and inconvenient, and surveys and finger pricks are not enjoyable!!), you don’t understand how difficult it can be to obtain adequate sample sizes for a study. And until you’re the one working with a limited budget of not only financial resources but also time and energy (of both you as a solo researcher and your participants who have many other more important responsibilities), you don’t understand how unavoidable it is to make compromises with regard to the components measured in a study and the instruments used to measure them (or how easy it is for things to fall through the cracks). I have an ever-growing list of limitations to this study that I will discuss in my dissertation and any papers that come from it. I have lost hours of sleep riddled with anxiety about the accuracy and reliability of the readings I’ve recorded from the devices being used to measure blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and fat mass and worrying about the potential of hemolysis in my capillary blood samples, which would prevent me from measuring insulin levels. I’ve had to learn that hiring and teaching assistants to help with this study is in itself a challenging process, and I’ve wondered how my ability to choose the right people and train them correctly may affect study results. And even though I spent three months traveling between cities and churches, expanding from Houston to Austin and then to Shreveport, Louisiana to get more participants, I still constantly question whether there was anything I could have done differently or better to recruit and retain study participants (particularly control participants, of which I have very, very few). And I’ve continually felt like I was running fifty steps behind where I wanted to be with regard to my responsibilities as a researcher, participant recruiter, project manager, employer, etc.

The point is that this project is far from perfect, and it makes me realize that no study is or ever can be perfect. What this project has been for me is an exercise in confronting my insecurities and perfectionism; viewing mistakes as a learning opportunity rather than a failure; trying to let go of expectations; stretching my mental, emotional, and physical comfort zones; reevaluating my stress management skills; and embracing the fact that so many things in this study (and in life) remain out of my control. So if nothing else, I will come out of this project with a very different mindset about research, about myself as a researcher, and about life in general (and the life I lead, specifically). And I’ve been forced to face the fact that I have a ton of work to do to become a better, more confident, and more well-rounded researcher and person.

To provide more specifics, I’ll start by summarizing this study’s recruitment process, which turned out to be far more toilsome than I had anticipated. In my early, naïve planning stages, I had looked at census data for Orthodox Christians in the United States, and in the southwest specifically, and I had decided that Houston should have a large enough concentration of Orthodox Christians to be able to recruit my desired sample size. Furthermore, being in just one city, I reasoned, would make things significantly easier logistically. In reality, however, recruitment was not as smooth and easy in Houston as I thought it would be. When it became clear I would not be able to recruit enough participants in Houston alone, I expanded to Austin. When I was still struggling to meet my recruitment goal in those two cities, I expanded to Shreveport, Louisiana. I set the limit with three cities, but even doing this study in just three cities has added to the workload and made the study logistically more complicated and stressful.

Beyond spending more time than anticipated on the road, the actual process of getting people to sign up for this study was particularly challenging and uncomfortable for me. I know how busy and overcommitted most people already are, so I do not enjoy standing up in front of a large group of people to ask them to add an additional (rather substantial) series of tasks to their plate. Yet because I have invested so much of myself into this project, I struggled not to get discouraged when my call out for participants at times received little to no response. Nonetheless, what helped me to persevere was the number of people who did in fact express enthusiasm and excitement about the project. I was particularly inspired and encouraged by some people who were so excited about the project that they offered to help with recruitment (which was what ultimately influenced my choice to expand to Austin and Shreveport). I am also incredibly grateful for the parish priests in all three cities who regularly included my recruitment announcements in the weekly church bulletins and monthly newsletters and who would introduce me and my study each time I visited their churches. Additionally, I am indebted to the leaders and staff of the Houston Health Museum who offered me the opportunity to set up a recruitment table on several days in effort to recruit non-fasting, ‘control’ participants. Thus, despite the internal and logistical struggles I faced in the recruitment process, I can now say that it was a valuable learning and growth process for me, and I have many people to thank for volunteering to help and/or offering sympathy and moral support.

Following recruitment, the next big challenges included getting participants started with the surveys, instructing people on how to adequately complete food diaries, keeping track of which tasks participants had or had not completed, scheduling health assessments, hiring and training assistants to help with the health assessments, and setting up ‘church labs’ in five different locations in three different cities. The first couple months of this year were a whirlwind! But now that 114 study participants have completed the first (baseline) health assessment and first surveys, food diary, and food questionnaire, I’m feeling more positive about everything. In particular, I am grateful beyond words for all the people who have dedicated time to track their diet, complete surveys, and come in for the health assessments! I am amazed and deeply touched and inspired by all of the people I have met along the way who have opened up their homes to me, offered me home-cooked meals, and/or been invaluable sources of encouragement and support throughout this process! I am grateful that, despite many things not going as planned, many things did go very smoothly! I’m thankful that there have thus far been no disasters and that I’ve stayed relatively healthy and safe. So overall, though certainly stressful and challenging, this project is providing an ongoing series of lessons in not only how to conduct a research project but also on how to live a healthier life while under stress, how important it is to keep a positive outlook, how valuable community is, and how much there is to be grateful for. This experience leaves me inspired and excited to someday be able to pay the altruism, generosity, and hospitality I’ve received forward! I now just strive to maintain that attitude as I go through the data I’ve collected thus far and prepare for the second (and last) round of health assessments.

Thank you for everyone for your continued support and encouragement! It means a lot to know that I'm not in this endeavor alone! I will try to be timelier with the next update! Until then, be well and wish me well!

With my utmost appreciation,

Hilary Bethancourt