The impact of a Positive Deviance/Hearth intervention in Ethiopia

The Positive Deviance/Hearth (PDH) model is a behaviour change strategy that targets the nutritional wellbeing of underweight children by implementing locally developed solutions. PDH has achieved proven success in the Ethiopian context, but questions remain regarding its effectiveness beyond the implementation period. This study presents findings from a secondary analysis of PDH programme data from southern Ethiopia. Overall, children responded positively to the intervention, with a 46% decrease in underweight prevalence after 12 months’ follow-up. However, approximately half of the children did not return to a normal weight. Findings suggest that more intensive follow-up and/or additional nutritional interventions may be needed to reach desired nutritional outcomes, especially for younger or severely underweight children.