Question

For this Discussion, you will evaluate the purpose statements in assigned journal articles in your discipline and consider the alignment of theory, problem, and purpose. You will also explain your position on the relationship between research and social change.

Alignment means that a research study possesses clear and logical connections among all of its various components. To achieve these connections, researchers must carefully craft the components of their study such that when they are viewed together, there is a coherent interrelationship.

As you read the authors’ purpose statements, consider how well the intent of the study, and its connection to the problem and theoretical framework, is presented. Also consider if the purpose statement reveals the study’s potential for engendering positive social change.

As you know, social change is a distinguishing feature of Walden University’s mission. Positive social change implies a transformation that results in positive outcomes. This can happen at many levels (e.g., individual, family systems, neighborhoods, organizations, nationally and globally); and positive social change can occur at different rates: slow and gradual or fast and radical.

With these thoughts in mind, refer to the Journal Articles document for your assigned articles for this Discussion. You will switch your journal article assignment from Week 3. If your last name starts with A through L, use Article B. If your last name starts with M through Z, use Article A. Follow the prompt below for your program.

The article is :“Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker Intervention Among African American and Latino Adults With Type 2 diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial” (Spencer, et al., 2011)

Answer 1

Social change is also the result of forces set in motion many thousands of years. Here in the present study, we can see the application of the main goal of the social change that is "reformative and alterative.

Reformative: Reform some aspect of society

Alterative : Seek to alter some specific behavior.

In the present study the community health workers and their role in multidisciplinary teams they were the aim to change the behavior of the African, American, and Latino Americans thus by improving the glycemic control. By the application socio-ecological model, family, health system and community-level interventions were developed to address sources of diabetes disparities at each level main aim of the researchers was to improve their Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level with diabetes self-management education and regular home visits and accompanied them to a clinical visit during the 6 month intervention period.

The interventions were grounded in empowerment philosophy includes self-determination and autonomy motivation theory, which postulates that an individual will be more successful in managing type 2diabetes management and here the empowerment-based approaches mean the effective and improving the self-management of type 2 diabetes among racial and ethnic minority patients.

The main aim of the theory selection is Both the African American and Latino adults with diabetes have worse glycemic control and report experiencing more barriers to diabetes self-management. Through the theory of application of change, community health workers are aiming to improve the health behaviors and outcome, thus we can make a positive social change with positive social change