Welcome! My name is Dawn, and I am currently a graduate student at the University of Colorado Denver. This semester I am enrolled in a class titled "Research in Informational and Learning Technologies". My semester project is to conduct a research study on the topic of my choice.

For my graduate project, I have decided to investigate the impact of social media on patient education in relation to Lyme Disease. My hope is to eventually have this research study be published which will act as yet another avenue to help spread the word awareness about this disease. I need your help! Over the next month, I will need to collect data 3 ways:

1. Survey: This portion of the project has ended in order to give me time to analyze the data. I will be posting the results on this blog in the next two weeks.


2. Weekly Discussions: Each week I will post one question that we will discuss as a group. This question will be located on the tab titled "Week 1 Discussion", "Week 2 Discussion" etc. You will post your answer by making a comment below the question. Please feel free to post as many times as you would like. My goal is for this to be a ongoing dialog.


3. Patient Stories: This is another opportunity to let your voice be heard. Along with quantitative data, I am also looking to collect qualitative data through case studies. I need to collect patient stories in which you describe your journey to a Lyme Disease diagnosis and your experience with treatment. If social media has impacted you in any way (positive or negative), then please reference that in your story. I will post the stories on this blog so that they can be viewed by others. You will have the option to include your name and photograph along with your story or it can be posted anonymously. If you are willing to let you me use your story, please send it to lymegradproject@gmail.com.

Please pass the word along! The more people we have participate, the stronger the project will be. This will is a wonderful way to help raise Lyme Disease awareness. You have the opportunity to make a difference!