Headshot – Haley Person

Author: Haley Person | Major: Public Health, Biology | Semester: Spring 2025

My name is Haley Person, and I am an Honors College Fellow on the pre-med track. I am a student in the College of Education and Health Professions as well as the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, working towards a BS in public health, a BA in biology, and a minor in medical humanities. During the Spring 2025 semester, I researched with undergraduate Beatrice Nkunga and graduate student Kylie Lovett under our mentor, Assistant Professor of Public Health Dr. Shristi Bhochhibhoya.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, leading to high blood sugar levels. If left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to serious health complications, including heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems, kidney disease, and mental health disorders. The menstrual cycle can lead to additional challenges with managing diabetes as hormonal fluctuations can impact insulin sensitivity. Our research is a qualitative content analysis aiming to fill the gap in research concerning the effect of the menstrual cycle on diabetes management by examining Reddit’s user-generated content.

I chose to pursue this research in order to continue participating in Dr. Bhochhibhoya’s research lab as well as to support graduate student Kylie Lovett as she works towards her PhD in public health. Dr. Bhochhibhoya allowed Kylie to step up and take the lead in this research, as this topic will hopefully grow into a dissertation over the next few semesters.

We did face a few challenges throughout our research process, such as developing an adequate and effective codebook. However, the biggest challenge I faced was managing my time. As a pre-med student, I had to learn how to balance this research along with my classes, volunteering, shadowing, and being as involved on campus as possible. Being just one semester, this research was extremely fast-paced, and adding the workload into my already busy schedule was an adjustment.

However, I really enjoyed this research, as it allowed me to read direct statements from women about a problem I never knew existed. As a future healthcare provider, and as someone considering specializing in gynecology, it’s important that I understand the diverse perspectives that embody women’s health, which this research has helped me work towards.

I did not travel anywhere to complete this research. However, our abstract did get accepted as an oral presentation at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2025 annual conference, which will take place in Washington D.C. this November. I’m not sure if I’ll be attending the conference yet, but it’s still quite exciting knowing my name will be on a power point slide as Kylie presents our research.

Next semester, I plan to continue research with Kylie as she works to complete her dissertation. Currently, we are planning on surveys and interviews with women with diabetes to learn about how their menstrual cycle impacts their experience with diabetes. Beyond this research topic, I am currently studying for the MCAT, shadowing in internal medicine and gynecology, and volunteering at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.