Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Need to catch up on some of my human subject research news.
I took part in the "complex chronic diseases" study at the VGH as a member of the healthy control group. They're studying a cluster of diseases that seem to have different etiologies but some similar effects: chronic fatigue syndrome, lyme disease, and fibromyalgia. Over the course of about four months, I had my blood drawn twice, I completed a medical history interview, I had a physical exam done, and I had to do this exercise where I squeezed this device that measured my grip strength while infrared probes measured the oxygenation in my blood. I had to alternately contract and release at a regular rate for three minutes—once using my right hand at 40% of my maximum grip strength and once using my left hand at 30% of my maximum grip strength. Before I started the exercises, the researcher measured the amount of fat I had on my arm with a device that essentially measures the thickness of a flap of skin. The name of the device? A fat caliper. No euphemism, no technical term like "adipose." Just fat caliper. This study was more involved than others, but I received a $50 honorarium and was compensated for all of my transportation costs.
After that Lil' Dude was a healthy control in an opthalmology study about kids with lazy eye. We went to BC Children's Hospital, and he got his vision tested and then looked at a computer screen to determine which way the "stars" were moving—left or right. It took a bit before he'd cooperate, but the researchers bribed him with stickers and I bribed him with a treat, and we eventually got through it. He got $10 for his piggy bank.
Most recently I signed up for a moving study. For four days I had to track where I went and how I got there, all while wearing an activity meter, which I think was more than just a simple step counter. I sent the package back last week, and I'm supposed to do another set six months after I move into a new place in Metro Vancouver. I'll get a $25 gift card when they receive the first package and another one after I complete the second set.
I took part in the "complex chronic diseases" study at the VGH as a member of the healthy control group. They're studying a cluster of diseases that seem to have different etiologies but some similar effects: chronic fatigue syndrome, lyme disease, and fibromyalgia. Over the course of about four months, I had my blood drawn twice, I completed a medical history interview, I had a physical exam done, and I had to do this exercise where I squeezed this device that measured my grip strength while infrared probes measured the oxygenation in my blood. I had to alternately contract and release at a regular rate for three minutes—once using my right hand at 40% of my maximum grip strength and once using my left hand at 30% of my maximum grip strength. Before I started the exercises, the researcher measured the amount of fat I had on my arm with a device that essentially measures the thickness of a flap of skin. The name of the device? A fat caliper. No euphemism, no technical term like "adipose." Just fat caliper. This study was more involved than others, but I received a $50 honorarium and was compensated for all of my transportation costs.
After that Lil' Dude was a healthy control in an opthalmology study about kids with lazy eye. We went to BC Children's Hospital, and he got his vision tested and then looked at a computer screen to determine which way the "stars" were moving—left or right. It took a bit before he'd cooperate, but the researchers bribed him with stickers and I bribed him with a treat, and we eventually got through it. He got $10 for his piggy bank.
Most recently I signed up for a moving study. For four days I had to track where I went and how I got there, all while wearing an activity meter, which I think was more than just a simple step counter. I sent the package back last week, and I'm supposed to do another set six months after I move into a new place in Metro Vancouver. I'll get a $25 gift card when they receive the first package and another one after I complete the second set.
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