The Premise requires you to create an outline of your selected topic and population . In health research, this is done using an ecological approach. Ecology is the science of relationships between organisms and their environment, and between the various elements of that environment. Therefore, an ecological approach takes into account the wide range of physical, mental, spiritual, social, economic and political environments that affect health and diseases. Sometimes also called a systems approach, an ecological approach is always holistic and multifactorial.

The Premise then requires a statement of the problem you wish to explore, the research questions you plan to ask about that problem, a secondary data source, and finally the positive social change that could result from your study. As mentioned in this week’s Introduction, you are required to select a topic and develop a research question for which secondary data are available.

For this Discussion, you will develop a potential topic for your Premise, and you will examine how your topic and proposed study could contribute to effecting positive social change.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Submit a 3- to 4-paragraph post that includes consideration of the following:

• A topic for which secondary data are available that could serve as the foundation of your Doctoral Study Premise
• The broader system or ecology of which your topic is a part
• The ways in which your proposed doctoral study could contribute to effecting positive social change