Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Childhood malnutrition poses global developmental and health risks. Rabai sub
county, Kilifi County, Kenya, struggles with high rates of wasting and underweight children
aged 6-59 months. The Positive Deviance Hearth Model, promoting local practices for
improved child nutrition, has global potential but lacks exploration in Rabai. This study
evaluates its impact, offering insights for evidence-based strategies against malnutrition and
informing community interventions in comparable settings.
METHODOLOGY
This study employed a quasi-experimental design, four sub-locations from two
different wards in Rabai Sub County were selected. Two sub-locations served as the
intervention group with the Positive Deviance Hearth Model, while the other two acted as the
control group. Baseline and end-line assessments were conducted to assess childhood wasting
and underweight prevalence, analyzed using chi-square tests to compare nutritional status
changes.
RESULTS
The baseline characteristics of the participants between the intervention and control
groups were found to be remarkably similar. A total of 750 respondents were assessed, with
371 in the control group and 379 in the intervention group. Pre-intervention showed no
significant difference in wasting (χ²=0.54, df=1, p=0.46). Post-intervention, a substantial
reduction in wasting was seen in the intervention group (χ²=38.54, df=1, p<0.001). For
underweight, no significant difference was found initially (χ²=1.06, df=1, p=0.30), but a
remarkable reduction in underweight was observed in the intervention group at the end-line
survey (χ²=35.78, df=1, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates the Positive Deviance Hearth Model's effectiveness in
improving child nutrition, highlighting the relevance of context-specific interventions in
addressing child malnutrition in similar regions
Keywords: Positive Deviance Hearth Model, Child Nutrition, Wasting, Underweight, Community-Based
Intervention, Quasi-Experimental Study
