practice in global context (pgc) newsletter winter 2014 edition

8/12/2019 Practice in Global Context (PGC) Newsletter Winter 2014 Edition

1/12

Practice in

Global Context

Winter Newsletter 2014

The DC website hosts many tools and networks, it can be hard to remember where everything is located. Here is

a simple guide below to find our website:

1. Login in as usual to the DC website atwww.dietitians.ca.2. Once logged in, choose the Members red tab on the right, near the top of the screen, on the DC home

page.

3. On the left hand side you will see a long list of member options with small red arrows pointing towards eachoption. Click on the first option in the list, Networking and a submenu will appear.

4. Click on Networks.5. A list of existing DC networks opes in the centre of your screen. Look for Practice in Global Contexts listed

near the bottom right, in red. Click on our title and the Practice in Global Contexts website will open.

Once on our website, check out our blog, which you can find by clicking on the red tab at the top of the screen

titled Blogor our many resources such as UpcomingEventsunder Linksin the left hand box.

We are continuing to expand and improve our website so check back regularly. We look forward to connecting

with you there!

Accessing the PGC Website

PGC Member Spotlight:

see how one of our PGC

members has realized her

dietetic profession in

developing countries!

A special feature on World

Vision Internationl: how

Miriam Yiiannakis passion

for nutrition has driven a

career in effecting

change in developing

communities across the

world.

4

55
http://www.dietitians.ca/http://www.dietitians.ca/http://www.dietitians.ca/http://www.dietitians.ca/


2/12

2 lorem ipsum :: [Dat

Vivamus portaest sed est.

Words from the PGC ChairsOne of the nice things about living in a multicultural world is that

there's always something to celebratesomething going on that

reminds us of the many joys in life. Happy New Year! Merry Ukrainia

Christmas! Happy Chinese New Year's - may good fortune be yours

in the Year of the Wood Horse!

Wood is associated with social consciousness, growth, and strength

and intriguingly, this year is said to have the potential for

unexpected adventure! May PGC as a whole (thats you!), grow,

strengthen and continue to work towards social wellness. May there

be wonderful adventures in store for us all!

Our PGC executive committee had a unique opportunity to meet a

a whole in December - in Hong Kong! As you know, Tracy and

Natalia are living there and Yun came home to Hong Kong for the

holidays. It was at that meeting that we all learned that our long

awaited fourth member would be joining our group!

We'd like to take this opportunity introduce you to the newest membeof our executive working group - Lilisha Burris. She has very kindly and

energetically volunteered to be our Website Coordinator. Welcome,

Lilisha! She brings an exciting perspective to our group, which you

can read all about in her biography in this newsletter.

Without further ado, welcome to the Winter 2014 edition of the PGC News! Many thanks to Yun Yun Lee, for

putting together this awesome collection of stories, insights and opportunities. Sit back, relax and enjoy it! We

would also like to extend our gratitude and thanks to the guests appearing on this editions newsletter, Ms.

Miriam Yiannakis from World Vision and Cynthia Fallu, our featured PGC Member Spotlight. They have

graciously offered their valuable time to share with us their global experiences.

But first, what do you think about this idea? Wed really like to get the sharing and networking happening in ourgroup. Theres real power in networks but it needs to be tapped into before it starts to take on a life of its own.

Please try to share one thing you have seen, or that you do, with us. It could be a link, a news story, a resource,

an upcoming conference, YouTube video, someone to follow on Twitter, an idea for modifying practice, an

idea you heard about for something happening around the worldanything you think is interesting or useful.

Your insights will help someonea PGC member, their clients or someone else in the vast social network that

we, together, are a part of. Please post your thought(s) on the PGC websites blog or send it to us for a

chance to be in the PGC newsletter, a broadcast email, or on the website!

Please write this on your calendar or your to do list lets tap into the power of this network and get it flowing!

If you have any difficulty accessing the website for any reason, please let us know!

Yours truly,

Natalia Morrison, [email protected]

Tracy Simaika, Co-chair [email protected]

Yun Yun Lee, Newsletter Editor [email protected]

Lilisha Burris, Website Coordinator [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


3/12


Welcome, to PGCs

Newest Website Coordinator

Lilisha Burris RD, MHSc

Co-Founder and Director, Dietitians Explore! Education ExchangeContact Centre Dietitian and Diabetes Project Specialist, EatRight Ontario

Lilisha Burrishas experience as a Registered Dietitian in community,

clinical and health promotion settings.

Currently, Lilisha leads Dietitians Explore!, whichis a non-profit organization that will provide Canadian

dietetic interns with an international placement during which they can achieve selected dietetic

competencies toward completing their internship program.

In addition, at EatRight OntarioLilisha advises clients on a variety of nutrition-related chronic disease

prevention and management strategies. She also leads the development of healthy eating resources for

priority populations including lower income communities and cultural groups at increased risk for

developing type 2 diabetes.

Lilisha has presented at national and international professional conferences and is published in the peer-

reviewed journal, Health Promotion Practice.

Global Health LinksUpcoming global health conferences

Global Health for Innovation Conference (GHIC)

http://www.uniteforsite.org/conference/

When: April 13-14, 2014

Where: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

Cost: Regular: $165.00; Student: $110.005

thAnnual Consortium of Universities for Global

Health: 2014 Global Health Conference

Universities 2.0: Advancing the Global Health

Agenda in the Post-MDG Era

When: May 10-12, 2014

Where: Washington Hilton, Washington D.C.

3rd

Annual Global Health Conference 2014

http://www.globalhc-conf.org

When: June 23-24, 2014

Where: Singapore

Cost: See website6

thAnnual Asian Congress of Dietetics

http://www.acd2014.org/index.html

When: August 21-24, 2014

Where: Taipei, Taiwan

Cost: N/A


4/12


PGC Member Spotlight:

Cynthia Fallu, MSc International Nutrition, RD

Cynthiabecame interested in global health in herundergraduate studies, when she had opportunities to

take nutrition classes associated with society and the

sociology of medicine. She was interested in how different

cultures perceived and adopted nutrition and various

holistic practices for healing and wellness. Cree culture

and medicine, in particular, stuck out the most.

Cynthia began her journey in global health during herdietetic internship at the First Nation Inuit Health Branch,

which further led her to a job position working in James

Bay at various First Nations reserves. There, Cynthia

acquired a broad-based experience in acute care at the

general hospital, community nutrition in schools, prenatal

nutrition programs, and travelling to remote communities

for outpatient work such as weight management and

dyslipidemia. Cynthia found the patient approach was unique from approaches learned from

school e.g. motivational or client-centred interviewing.

After that, Cynthia was inspired to broaden her scope of practice into aMSc in International Nutritionat the University of Montreal.Since then, Cynthia embarked on many opportunities to volunteer

globally. One such opportunity was working on a medical caravan with theCanada Africa

Community Alliance (CACHA)in Tanzania, much like a mobile health clinic, travelling to different

communities daily. Then Cynthia took up an opportunity withHealthBridge,a non-profit organization

based in Ottawa whose focus is international nutrition. At HealthBridge, Cynthia worked in the

evaluation process of a maternal and child nutrition project

developed by Care Canada and funded by Health Canadas

Muskoka Initiative. For four months, Cynthia travelled to Ethiopia,

and Zimbabwe building capacity among locals to conduct baseline

surveys in households who have children under 2 years of age, in

regards to breastfeeding practices, infant food quality, antenatal

care, access to health care, hygiene and diarrhea management.

When fathers were present in households, inquiries were made in

regards to paternal participation in child care and how household

decision-making. Dietary quality was assessed using food groupings

instead of 24-hr recalls, as data collection was dependent on the useof a PDA (personal digital assistant). Results gathered would

examine dietary diversity and meal frequency which can be used to

define the childrensminimum acceptable diet.

From these experiences, Cynthia combined her love for travelling

and exploring the world while utilizing her nutrition expertise to

support communities and provide relief for the most vulnerable. She

looks forward to more of these opportunities in the very near future.

Feel free to contact Cynthia at [email protected] you would like to

By: Yun Yun Lee
http://www.nutrition.umontreal.ca/http://www.nutrition.umontreal.ca/http://www.nutrition.umontreal.ca/http://www.nutrition.umontreal.ca/http://www.cacha.ca/http://www.cacha.ca/http://www.cacha.ca/http://www.cacha.ca/http://www.healthbridge.ca/http://www.healthbridge.ca/http://www.healthbridge.ca/http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/En/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/En/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://apps.who.int/nutrition/landscape/help.aspx?menu=0&helpid=359http://apps.who.int/nutrition/landscape/help.aspx?menu=0&helpid=359http://apps.who.int/nutrition/landscape/help.aspx?menu=0&helpid=359http://apps.who.int/nutrition/landscape/help.aspx?menu=0&helpid=359http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/En/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.healthbridge.ca/http://www.cacha.ca/http://www.cacha.ca/http://www.nutrition.umontreal.ca/http://www.nutrition.umontreal.ca/


5/12


AS NUTRITION PR

OFESSIONALS,

nutrition issues tend t

o make our ears per

k and our eyes do a

double take. At PGC, we aim to identify nutrition issues and trends around the world. In this issue, w

e look at global nutrition issues in developing countries and how one organization invests their nutriti

on focus to reduce the prevalence of such issues. Ms. Miriam Yiannakis is a Nutrition Policy and Part

nerships Advisor at World Vision Internationals Global Centre. Miriam is the first of (hopefully!) many

we meet in how nutrition professionals can offer their nutrition expertise to impact global health and

poverty.

The prevalence of acute and chronic malnutrition, food insecurity, poor food and water sanitation

in developing countries continue to risk the survival and optimal development of infants and young

moms, despite reportedshifts in nutrition trendsmirroring developed countries. The latestunder 5

mortality statisticsaccording to the World Health Organization shows a 47% reduction: from 12.6

million to 6.6 million worldwide in 2012. This translates to nearly 18,000 infants and children who

continue to die everyday from prematurity, birth asphyxia and trauma, pneumonia, and diarrhea.

Evidence suggests these are oftenpreventable causeswhen supported with prenatal health, early

initiation and six months exclusive breastfeeding.

World Visionis an internationally renowned non-profit organization committed to childrens health

and wellbeing. World Vision started out as a child sponsorship program. Today, World Vision is a

global Christian relief, development, and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with

children, families and communities to

overcome poverty and injustice. They work

to serve all people, regardless of religion,

race, ethnicity, or gender. The goal of World

Vision is the sustained wellbeing of children,

especially the most vulnerable. World Vision

works with families, communities, and

partners to ensure children enjoy good

health, are educated for life, experience the

PGC Guest Spotlight:

Miriam YiannakisNutrition Policy and Partnerships Advisor, Nutrition

Centre of Expertise (NCOE), World Vision InternationalBy: Yun Yun Lee
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257829/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257829/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257829/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/en/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/en/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/en/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/en/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/mortality/mortality_causes_region_text/en/index.htmlhttp://www.who.int/gho/child_health/mortality/mortality_causes_region_text/en/index.htmlhttp://www.who.int/gho/child_health/mortality/mortality_causes_region_text/en/index.htmlhttp://www.wvi.org/http://www.wvi.org/http://www.wvi.org/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/mortality/mortality_causes_region_text/en/index.htmlhttp://www.who.int/gho/child_health/en/http://www.who.int/gho/child_health/en/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257829/


6/12


love of God and their neighbours, and are cared for, protected, and participating.

In 2007, World Vision International and World Vision Canadaformally established theNutrition Centre

of Expertise (NCOE)in recognizing the vital role that nutrition plays in child development. The NCOE

provides technical guidance and leadership as part of World Visions Global Health and Nutrition

Strategy that includes the7-11 Approach. TheMICronutrient And Health (MICAH)program is an

example of the integrated, multi-sectoral work undertaken to improve the nutrition and health status

of women and children. (Seeherefor publications for MICAH).

Miriam became involved with World Visions global health initiatives as NCOEs Nutrition Technical A

dvisor for Capacity Building. In this role, Miriam travelled to many different countries throughout Afric

a, South and Southeast Asia to support comm

unities implementing nutrition programs in the

form of capacity building, training events, buil

ding community relationships, and governme

nt partnerships. One of the highlights in Miria

ms experience at that time is the success of t

he Positive Deviance/Hearthproject. To learn

more about this project, please refer to the G

lobal Nutrition in ResearchSection of the New

sletter.

Today, as Nutrition Policy and Partnerships Advisor at NCOE, Miriam continues to travel worldwide,

partnering with organizations such asScaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement,the European Union,

and Save the Children to advocate, on a policy level, for prioritization of nutrition on the global

development agenda and investment priorities; with specific priority of investment in high burden

countries with sufficient resources, to reach the most vulnerable in an equitable and just manner.

This includes prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition, nutrition capacity building to reduce

growth stunting, maternal and childhood anaemia, as well as food security (such as theGlobal

Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security). Moreover, Miriam supports countries committed to

Millennium Development Goals (MDG)and works to ensure nutrition is prioritized in the Post 2015

development framework to ensure maternal and child nutrition improvement strategies are

implemented in a sustainable manner. The Nutrition Barometer gauges each countrys political,

legal, and financial commitment to addressing malnutrition and their progress based on childrens

nutritional and survival outcomes. One such initiative is theNutrition Barometer,developed in

partnership with Save the Children.
http://www.wvi.org/nutrition/about-ushttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/about-ushttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/about-ushttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/about-ushttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/7-11-approachhttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/7-11-approachhttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/nutrition-project-modelshttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/nutrition-project-modelshttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/nutrition-project-modelshttp://www.wvi.org/publications/136/micahhttp://www.wvi.org/publications/136/micahhttp://www.wvi.org/publications/136/micahhttp://scalingupnutrition.org/http://scalingupnutrition.org/http://scalingupnutrition.org/http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/Securite_alimentaire_v_anglaise_web-2_cle04224b.pdfhttp://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/Securite_alimentaire_v_anglaise_web-2_cle04224b.pdfhttp://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/Securite_alimentaire_v_anglaise_web-2_cle04224b.pdfhttp://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/Securite_alimentaire_v_anglaise_web-2_cle04224b.pdfhttp://www.wvi.org/world-vision-un/publication/nutrition-barometerhttp://www.wvi.org/world-vision-un/publication/nutrition-barometerhttp://www.wvi.org/world-vision-un/publication/nutrition-barometerhttp://www.wvi.org/world-vision-un/publication/nutrition-barometerhttp://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/Securite_alimentaire_v_anglaise_web-2_cle04224b.pdfhttp://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/Securite_alimentaire_v_anglaise_web-2_cle04224b.pdfhttp://scalingupnutrition.org/http://www.wvi.org/publications/136/micahhttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/nutrition-project-modelshttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/7-11-approachhttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/about-ushttp://www.wvi.org/nutrition/about-us


7/12


When asked about the importance of nutrition and nutrition

expertise in global health, Miriam explains how malnutrition

can impede physical and cognitive development and

impact national level economic development, the

economic growth of a country can be impeded due to the

impact that poor nutrition has on the development of its

population with decreased education attainment and decreased life-long earning potential due to

undernutrition in early childhood. In other words, economic growth of a country is strongly

influenced by each individuals capacity to contribute to society, where adequate nutrition plays a

role in maximizing this capacity. So how does one improve and sustain the accessibility and

availability of nutritious food for communities that are without? Miriam talks about the

transdisciplinary sector. In this case, transdisciplinary refers not only to the essential role that various

sectors of health, water, sanitation and hygiene, food security and agriculture play in nutrition but

also includes intersecting the field of nutrition with industries that can have powerful global impacts:

local and international policymakers, marketing, social media, even the private sector of the food

and beverage industry. These may be the very sectors that can influence the accessibility and

availability of nutritious foods and sustainable means of obtaining it.

According to Miriam, the significant reductions in child mortality have been due to improvements

in the areas of health, particularly infectious disease, however, we have not seen a reduction in

deaths due to malnutrition. As global nutrition and economic growth become more intertwined

and apparent, the demand for nutrition expertise may emerge a new, hopefully more prevalent,

addition to the dietetic role. Previous estimates were that 35% of child deaths were due to

undernutrition and now it is 45%. Its not that undernutrition is more deadly,says Miriam, but that

improvements have been made in the health side of things, but not in nutrition thus the urgency

to make improvements specifically in nutrition as it is the number one underlying cause of child

mortality. How do we get started? Miriam encourages attending global health conferences to

become aware of trending issues [seeGlobal Health LinksSection], collaborating with professors to

do overseas work, or learning about high level policy e.g. what ones own country (i.e.Canadas

initiatives)and local countries have in place to support impoverished communities with limited

resources for optimal growth and survival. Moreover, examining how policy affects nutrition status

of women and children around the world. As clichas it sounds, children are indeed the future, so

why not make the best of it?

Its not that malnutrition

is more deadly but that

improvements have been

made in the health side of

things, but not in

nutrition.
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQThttp://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/FRA-119133138-PQT


8/12

Thinking about a

potential career path inGlobal Health?

Global Health Linksto get connected to todays global

health conversationsShare with us how you feel nutrition

can play a role in eradicating existing global health issues

in vulnerable populations!

The Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research

http://www.ccghr.ca

The Global Forum for Health Research

http://www.forum202.org

The Global Health Hub

http://www.globalhealthhub.org

Sandra Rotman Center: http://www.srcglobal.org

Explore the possibilities towards a public health graduate degree (Masters or PhD) specializing in global health

under the mentorship of someone well-versed in the field will likely be a drive in the right direction. The

following are some Canadian Universities that offer graduate programs with a global health focus:

University of AlbertaMSc. Global Health under the School of Public Health

http://www.publichealth.ualberta.ca/programs/msc_programs/msc_glob_hlth.aspx

University of CalgaryMSc. Community Health Studies under the Department of Community Health

Sciences and Institute of Public Health

http://www.ucalgary.ca/communityhealthsciences/

McMaster UniversityMSc. Global Health under the Faculty of Health Sciences

http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/globalhealthprogram/index.html

Simon Fraser UniversityDiploma in Global Health under the Faculty of Health Sciences. This program is

designed to be an adjunct to clinical practices (e.g. physicians or nurses) or related fields (e.g. public

policy)

http://www.sfu.ca/fhs/future-students/graduate/diploma-in-global-health/overview.html

Miriams suggested schools that have recently launched Global Nutrition programs:

University of British Columbia

BSc. Food Nutrition and Health, International Nutrition Major

http://inmajor.landfood.ubc.ca/

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

MSc. Nutrition for Nutrition and Global Health http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msphn.html


9/12


What is Positive Deviance (PD):

Generally speaking, the concept of positive deviance

is the presumption that there are certain individuals,

groups of people, or households who have existing

knowledge to demonstrate exceptional performance

in an area of interest (Marsh, Schroeder, Dearden,

Sternin, Sternin, 2004; Stuckey Boan, Kraschnewski,

Miller-Day, Lehman, Sciamanna, 2011; Bradley, Curry,

Ramanadhan, 2009). Most often, they are issues a

community faces where some members have

discovered solution(s) to overcome this, often with the

use of existing community resources. As such, shared knowledge of this solution by community

members is more likely implemented and sustained (Marsh et al. 2004; Bradley et al., 2009). Positive

deviance can be seen as a grass roots approach in that the solution is within the community and is

largely dependent on the communitys willingness,receptiveness, awareness, and self-initiative to

implement change.

The Positive Deviance model has been applied in many settings outside nutrition, such as ways to

improve the health care system (Bradley et al., 2009), identifying factors to improve diabetes

outcomes in primary scare settings (Gabbay, Friedbergm, Miller-Day, Cronholm, Schneider, 2013),

determining successful weight control practices (Stuckey et al., 2011), and antenatal nutrition

measures to improve maternal and child health delivery outcomes (Ahrari, Houser, Yassin, Mogheez,

Hussaini, Crump, Darmstadt, Marsh, Levinson, 2006).

Positive Deviance in Nutrition

Positive deviance (PD) applied in a nutrition setting is most notably in infant and child health

settings where malnutrition exists likely in relation to poverty, poor sanitation and hygiene, and food

insecurity. The goal of PD nutrition is to sustainably relieve child malnutrition using proven

approaches from households with children who grew up somewhat adequately nourished in acommunity where malnutrition is prevalent. In identifying such households, their practices are

observed, identified, and shared with other households with poorly nourished children. As this not

only emphasizes community engagement and can drive community mobilization to produce

change, part of the success of Positive Deviance/Hearth models in nutrition is that approaches are

culturally appropriate, using resources often readily accessible within the community, as solutions

Global Nutrition in

Research:

PositiveDeviance/Hearth

Project

By: Yun Yun Lee


10/12


are practiced/founded by members inhabiting the same community.

The success of PD/Hearth nutrition has been published since the 1970s, but the work caught the

worlds attention with Monique and Jerry Sternin working with Save the Children in Vietnam in the

1990s. The results of this study showed parents of positive deviant families brought home small

fish/shell fish from rice paddies they worked at to add to their family meals, providing extra protein to

support adequately nourished children (Mackintosh, Marsh, Schroeder, 2002). In 2008, Monique and

Jerry Sternin put together afield manual for Positive Deviance Nutrition:Designing and Community-

based Nutrition Program Using the Hearth Model and the Positive Deviance Approach A Field

Guide. Since then, the Positive Deviance/Hearth nutrition model has been applied by other

international NGOs such as: USAID, Mercy Corps, CARE, Plan International, Food for the Hungry, and

World Vision, to name a few.

At World Vision, one of the PD/Hearth nutrition programs was iron supplementation in pregnant

women to reduce the risk of anaemia during pregnancy within the MICronutrient And Health

(MICAH) program in Senegal, Sub-Saharan Africa (Nidaye, Siekmans, Haddad, Receveur, 2009). The

MICAH program was implemented in three regions in Senegal: two rural communes, Sinthian

Koundara, Kounkane, and one district, Pakour. The PD intervention took place in one rural

commune, Sinthian Koundara, while the other, Kounkane served as a baseline comparison.

Positive deviant strategies for this study were recognized as behaviours that prevented iron-

deficiency anemia during pregnancy. From the screening process and focus groups facilitated by

local women, positive deviant women were identified as non-anaemic (hemoglobin 11g/dL),

impoverished, with the following practices: compliant and familiar with the role of iron supplements,

understood the association between anaemia and malaria as well as helminth infection, attended

antenatal visits, delivered in health facilities, and overall had a positive perception of health

services. When these practices were promoted in Sinthian Koundara, the rural PD MICAH

community, results showed in comparison to Kounkane, that iron supplements remained prevalent in

households (versus a decrease from 52.4% to 26% in the normal MICAH community), iron

supplements were taken more regularly (43% to 60% in PD MICAH versus normal MICAH communityfrom 72% to 52%) (Nidaye et al., 2009). Statistical analysis shows the risk of anemia in the PD MICAH

community was significantly reduced during pregnancy related to implementation of positive

deviant practices in the community. To learn more about this study and its significant findings,

please clickhere.
http://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/publication%20nutrition/Ndiaye2009.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/publication%20nutrition/Ndiaye2009.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/publication%20nutrition/Ndiaye2009.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/publication%20nutrition/Ndiaye2009.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdfhttp://www.positivedeviance.org/pdf/manuals/fieldguide.pdf


11/12


Ongoing Global Health Initiatives:

Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN)http://www.ennonline.net/

Though self-proclaimed as not a research group, ENN partners with agencies such as UCL Centre for

International Health and Development, Save the Children UK to develop research proposals of their

interests on topics such asAcute malnutrition of infants less than 6 months (MAMI), Prevention of

moderate acute malnutrition, Efficacy and impact of emergency programmes.

One Goalhttp://www.onegoal.asia

The Asian Football Confederation in joint partnership with Asian Football Development Project, Globa

Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), DSM, and World Vision. One Goal strives to communicate the

issue of malnutrition in Asia through football (a.k.a. soccer). The hope is to move football enthusiasts

into action towards nutrition relief for children.

How else can we use the resources around us, hobbies, day-to-day activites to create awareness

and inspire change?

Dont Forgetthe PGC Blog! Subscribe, Share, and Question!If you havent had a chance yet, be sure to check out and subscribe to our network blog. Its a

great place to share your thoughts, comments and submit timely items you think other members

would like to to know about. If you missed some of our summer posts such as: White dinners, secret

supper clubs and social media, Ted Talks, links to the Newsletter for the International Confederation

of Dietetic Associations and more, you can view them at:http://www.dietitians.ca/networks/Practice-in-Global-Contexts/Blog.aspx
http://www.dietitians.ca/networks/Practice-in-Global-Contexts/Blog.aspxhttp://www.dietitians.ca/networks/Practice-in-Global-Contexts/Blog.aspxhttp://www.dietitians.ca/networks/Practice-in-Global-Contexts/Blog.aspx


12/12


References for Positive/Deviance Hearth article

Ahrari, M., Houser, R.F., Yassin, S., Mogheez, M., Hussaini, Y., Crump, P., Darmstadt, G.L., Marsh, D.,

Levinson, F.J. (2006). A positive deviance-based antenatal nutrition project improves birth-weight in

upper Egypt.Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 24(4), 498-507.

Bradley, E.H., Curry, L.A., Ramanadhan, S., Rowe, L., Nembhard, I.M., Krumholz, H.M. (2009). Research

in action: using positive deviance to improve quality of health care. Implementation Science, 4(25),

1-11.

Gabbay, R.A., Friedbergm, M.W., Miller-Day, M., Cronholm, P.F., Schneider, E.C. (2013). A positive

deviance approach to understanding key features to improving diabetes care in the medical home.

Annals of Family Medicine, 11(Suppl 1), S99-107.

Mackintosh, U.A., Marsh, D.R., Schroeder, D.G. (2002). Sustained positive deviant child care practices

and their effects on child growth in Vietnam. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 23(Suppl 4), 18-27.

Ndiaye, M., Siekmans, K., Haddad, S., Receveur, O. (2009). Impact of a positive deviance approach

to improve the effectiveness of an iron-supplementation program to control nutritional anemia

among rural Senegalese pregnant women. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 30(2), 128-136.

Stuckey, H.L., Boan, J., Kraschnewski, J.L., Miller-Day, M., Lehman, E.B., Sciamanna, C.N. (2011). Using

positive deviance for determining successful weight-control practices. Qualitative Health Research,

21(4), 563-579

practice in global context (pgc) newsletter winter 2014 edition

Documents